


Prophecy's Refrain

by gunitatsuhiko



Series: Gaia's Reclamation [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Death, F/M, Rape/Non-con References, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-15
Updated: 2012-08-15
Packaged: 2017-11-12 04:55:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 50
Words: 137,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/486960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gunitatsuhiko/pseuds/gunitatsuhiko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What does it take to change the world? If you could rewrite history, would you do it? **Contains a BLATANT Mary-Sue, and I'm NOT ashamed :P**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Walk on the Beach

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own FFVII or its affiliates. I make no money from this exercise in literary creativity.

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own FFVII or its affiliates. I make no money from writing this story.

 

 

“Reno! Reno, wake up! Come on, there’s a woman down there, maybe she knows where we are and how we got here.” Tseng said, shaking the redhead awake. 

 

“Yeah, so? Whadda ya want me to do about it?” Reno grumbled, rolling over to better lift himself from the ground.. 

 

“Get up!” Cloud and Tseng shouted at the same time. 

 

“She’s coming this way. I think we should just wait for her to get here. I mean, why waste our energy on a stupid human girl?” Loz stated, stretching his leather-clad legs out in the loose sand. 

 

“Hey Kadaj, wanna keep your dogs on a leash?” Rude said, curling his lip into a snarl. 

 

“Why you…” Loz said taking a threatening step toward him. 

 

“Hey, we’re in this together, remember? We can kill each other once we’re back where we belong! Until then: Rude, behave yourself.” Rufus said calmly. 

 

“He’s right,” Cloud said, “We need to figure out what to do right now, and we need to do it fast. That woman is going to be too far past us very soon.”

 

“I’ll get her.” Yazoo said, standing from the driftwood that he had claimed as ‘his’ seat. 

 

“No no, I need to work off some energy, I’ll go.” Kadaj interrupted. Without another word, Kadaj leapt from the cover of the tall foliage that hid the group and slid down the bluff to the beach below. He landed gracefully in front of the woman. She let out a startled gasp and then backed up a step. 

 

“Can I help you?” She asked, irritated. 

 

“Oh yes, yes you can.” Kadaj stepped toward her. She stepped back. 

 

“You’re coming with me.” Kadaj said, as if the woman had no right to argue with him. 

 

“Haha, very funny creeper, did someone forget to take his crazy pills this morning?” 

 

Kadaj growled and lunged at her. 

 

She put up a hell of a fight, managing to impress even those watching from the bluff top by landing an elbow to the youngest clone’s jaw. Unfortunately, that was not enough. Kadaj lunged at her again, done playing, and effectively grabbed her. He threw her over his shoulder-despite her screaming in his ear and bruising his back with her delicate little fists-and jumped gracefully back up the cliffside. 

 

Once he landed, he dropped the still-struggling woman on her behind in the dirt. She stood up, cursing and spitting, before noticing the other men around her. 

 

“Oh dear God, I’m about to be gang-raped, aren’t I?” She wailed. 

 

“Relax Ma’am, we just want to talk to you.” Rufus said, leaning forward in his wheelchair. 

 

“Oh right!” the woman said. “I’m warning you, I’m a black belt!” She took the Drunken Fist stance.

 

“Reeeally?” Yazoo crooned, standing up and falling into a mirrored pose. 

 

The woman stood up straight, bowing her head and looking embarrassed. “Oh…I was hoping that would discourage you…” 

 

“Please Miss,” Cloud said, “We really do just want to talk. We need some help. Please just hear us out?” 

 

“And if I refuse?” She asked defiantly. 

 

“We kill you and look elsewhere.” Kadaj stated bluntly. No one argued. 

 

The woman sighed and stared at her feet. After a moment, she nodded her head. “Alright. I’m listening.”

 

“Good.” Rufus said, smiling. “First of all, what may we call you?” 

 

“Harmony…Or Hari for short.”

 

“Well, Hari, it seems my comrades and I have landed in quite the predicament…”


	2. A Little History

Chapter 2

 

“So you just…woke up here?” Harmony asked.

“Yes.” Rufus said after he had explained that he and the others had awoken on the beach below, with no recollection of how they got there, and explained where they had come from.

 

“Oh hell.” She said, obviously annoyed.

“Do you know why?” Cloud asked.

 

“Yes, but I don’t know how to fix it.”

“Explain.” Vincent said, startling the young woman with his rough voice.

 

“Ugh! Okay! You…have…” she paused, searching for the right words. “You have angered the cosmos. The ultimate power gives each dominant species its own world, suited for their specific needs, and in that world, many different dimensions. When one dimension is disrupted, those most responsible, both antagonists and protagonists, are banished.”

“…‘Banished‘?” Cid said. “Whatta ya mean by ‘banished’?”

 

“Just that, banished. To return only when a lesson has been learned. Maybe you should tell me who you guys are, and what you’ve done.”

 

By the time Rufus had finished his second explanation, Harmony was shaking with rage.

 

“How could you let it get so bad?” She asked in a quivering whisper.

“Oh Gaia, you’re a tree-hugging planet-lover just like that little Ancient girl!” Kadaj whined.

 

“I AM an ancient, you little murderer!” She screeched at the smallest clone, lunging at him and shoving as hard as she could.

He didn’t budge physically but he did have the decency to looked appropriately shocked.

 

“Who are you?” Tseng asked, stepping in front of Rufus.

“Probably the only person that can help you get home. Come on, we’d better get you out of sight before the wrong person finds out about you.”

 

“Where are you taking us?” Cloud asked conversationally.

“My apartment, god save me.”

 

They walked in a tight group, the only sound being Harmony and her obvious attempt to explain the way the men looked.

“Costume party!” or “Martial Arts Faire!” or “Carnival in town! This weekend only!”

 

Some of the excuses made some of the men chuckle, glad for a small piece of amusement.

When they reached her apartment Harmony sat down in front of her fireplace and bid the others to get comfortable.

 

“Alright,” She said after everyone was seated. “Now that its safe, you can go ahead and ask questions now.”

Cloud was the first to speak up. “So there are Ancients in this world too?”

 

“We’re not called Ancients, and we are not accepted in this world as they were in yours. We’re the people of the earth.”

“Why are you not accepted?” Rude asked.

 

“There have been many, many religions developed in the some three thousand years of documented history. Ours is considered evil.”

“So…what’s so special about you then?” Reno asked.

 

Harmony flicked her wrist at him and he was instantly engulfed in flames. Another flick and he was drenched in water that seemed to come from nowhere. He was covered in scars and blistered, melted skin. Another flick and he was back to normal.

“Holy shit!” He exclaimed, leaning away from her as far as he could.

 

“So…it’s a religion, meaning anyone can do it?” Vincent asked.

“No. The practices and ceremonies can be learned, but the talent is something you are born with. There are even those of us that are born into this and practice different religions. Some people call them warriors for God. They worship them, and condemn us. We still have to learn to use it. Even if its in your blood, you have to find someone willing to take on an apprentice. We‘re witches, my strange friends. Witches. We use glamours, mostly. You,” She pointed at Reno, “You were not really on fire, but you thought you were, and your mind created the pain.”

 

“Then why did you pretend to be all…helpless… when I grabbed you?” Kadaj asked.

“My kind are persecuted and hated. You would have had to have done something punishable by death, such as rape, before I’d have exposed my powers. I’d have had to kill you.”

 

A sudden flash of light outside interrupted their conversation. Harmony ran to the window and gazed at the huge ball of flesh now suspended in the sky, burning as brightly as the sun as it descended toward the earth.

“Jenova!” The name was whispered as one would whisper a grave sin.

 

“Jenova?! THE Jenova?! How the hell? Dammit! You’ve ruined your world and now you have to ruin mine too?!” Harmony growled.

“Where’s Kadaj? Loz? Yazoo?” Tseng asked, looking around and noticing the open door.

 

“There.” Vincent said, pointing to the three clones as they raced through the streets to what looked to be Jenova’s landing site.

“Oh no you don’t!” Harmony promised. She threw her hands out above her head.

 

“Spirits! Goddess! Guardians of the Four Watchtowers, hear my words!” She cried, causing the men to turn and stare at her as wind began to swirl around her body and a blue light surrounded her.

“Let she who invades this peaceful world be banished ever more! Frozen in time without a soul for survival until the coven’s strength restore!”

 

The blue light swirled and shot in a tornado from her chest, racing toward Jenova and creating a barrier around the calamity, preventing her from moving any further forward. When the current subsided, Harmony collapsed to the floor, the last thing she saw being Cloud’s worried face as he rushed to catch her.

 

 

Harmony awoke in her bed. She heard the television in the front room and groaned, realizing that she had not been dreaming.

She crept from her room to stand behind the couch, glancing at the newscast that her ‘guests’ were fascinated with.

 

“Our sources say that there were three men captured at the beach, raving mad and screaming about world annihilation. They are currently being held by the government until a connection can be established between these three strangers and the giant extra-terrestrial form hovering just outside of our atmosphere.”

“Shit!” Harmony said.

 

“Oh, you’re up!” Rufus said. “As I’m sure you saw, Kadaj and his boys were captured.”

“We have to get them out-” she stopped short at seeing five new faces in her living room. “Who are you?” she said, looking at a tall man with long silver hair.

 

“Harmony, this is Sephiroth…but there’s something strange here-” Tseng started.

“Oh my, strange happenings? No way!” Harmony rolled her eyes.

 

“He doesn’t remember anything. The last thing he remembers is going to Wutai - that’s a place in our world - to help ShinRa end the war. That was years ago. He doesn’t know anything about Jenova, or anything that happened at Nibelheim.” Cloud said. “He doesn’t even remember me.”

“Okay…and the others?”

 

The youngest-looking of the other four stepped forward. “My name is Zackary Fair, and Cloud and the others tell me that I died just after Cloud and I escaped from Hojo’s grasp. The last thing I remember is leaving Gen over there next to a chair before heading to Midgar.”

“Okay…and…?” she turned toward an older man with greasy black hair and ugly glasses.

 

“Hojo. They say I’ve been dead for three years.” He said no more, but Harmony already knew everything she needed about him. Unlike Sephiroth, unfortunate circumstances had not caused Hojo to do evil things, he just did them.

Just as Harmony was turning to the next man - a handsome dark-haired military man, it looked like - he spoke.

 

“Angeal Hewley. They say that I was killed four years before Zack, by Zack. The last thing I remember is …” He looked down, looking almost ashamed, “Knocking Zack off the plate.”

Harmony nodded and turned to the auburn haired man that Zack had called ‘Gen’.

 

“Genesis Rhapsodos. Dead for four years. The last thing I remember is him leaving me in Banora with a dumbapple in my hand.” he gestured to Zack.

“Okay.” Harmony said. She mouthed the word ‘dumbapple’ questioningly and covered her eyes with her palms. “How did you get in my apartment?”

 

“I saw Sephiroth on a rooftop looking at Jenova and went after him.” Cloud said.

“Okay, okay. Fine, more weirdos. Back to the most important issue. We have to get those crazies away from the military. If they find out about this they will abuse it. If they find out about me…well lets just not let that happen, ‘kay?”

 

The others nodded to let her know that they were thinking the same thing.

“Well,” she said, looking her guests up and down, “Who’s up for bustin’ bad guys out of jail? Or should the question be ‘Who’s the best at it’?”

 

“I’ll help!” Zack said, stepping forward and raising his hand. Angeal stepped up behind him and rolled his eyes.

“Count me in as well.”

 

“I’ll go. It’ll give me something to do.” Genesis said, standing up from the wall he’d been leaning against.

“Alright, let me change and then we’ll go.” Harmony disappeared into her room and came back out wearing tight black jazz pants and a black three-quarter sleeved belly-shirt. The look was completed with black combat boots and a long double-bladed sword. Her hair was in a high ponytail and her hands were covered with half-gloves.

 

“Lets go, I’ll explain the plan on the way.”


	3. Jailbreak!

Chapter 3

She walked out her door, her three companions following closely behind, the tall dark-haired man scolding himself for staring at the woman more than he should have.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Okay.” Harmony said, stopping the group at the diner down the street from the police station. “I have a few potions in my bag that will immobilize a few guards, but most of this is going to be fighting our way through. We’ll have to be fast and efficient. NO FATALITIES. I’ll do what I can with my powers-”

“Powers?” Zack asked.

“Oh bugger, I’ll explain later. Can I trust you to not let anything I do distract you?”

Zack snorted. “I’m a SOLDIER, I can do anything.”

“Calm down, Pup.” Angeal interjected, “You’re throwing her off track.”

“Thanks.” Harmony said as Zack quieted down. “As I was saying. I’ll do what I can to immobilize as many as I can, but using my powers will weaken me, depending on what I do. If I have to do something drastic, I’m trusting you guys to get the clones and me out of there. If you can’t get me out…then you have to…” she trailed off, gulping loudly and taking a deep breath.

“Have to…” Genesis prodded.

“You have to kill me. If you can’t get me out in that situation, you have to kill me because they can’t get hold of the power that I have. There’s a reason my kind stay hidden for the most part. The repercussions would be catastrophic.”

Angeal and Zack’s eyes widened, but they nodded in understanding.

“We’ll get you out.” Angeal said. “You have my word, on my honor.”

“Yeah…you’ll get out.” Zack said. “Angeal here places a lot on honor.”

“Good, ‘cause I really don‘t want to die today. Lets go then. When we get inside, I’ll let you know where to go, I should be able to find out if I touch one of the guards. I’ll explain later.” She held up her hand when it looked like Zack was going to question her once again.

The four made their way down the street to the station and Harmony paused outside to take a deep breath before pushing the doors open and rushing inside.

“Drop your weapon!” An officer said when she and the others rushed in and he saw their swords.

Harmony clapped her hands together, rubbing them together faster and faster before pulling them apart and blowing across her palm. A light powdery substance floated from her palm and the whole room seemed to freeze except for the four ‘terrorists’. Harmony turned around and grinned at the three men watching her with shocked expressions. “Well, come on!” She touched the first guard’s face and the others watched her eyes go blank for a moment. “They’re in holding, being questioned right now. We have to hurry, they haven’t been cooperative so far, if we’re lucky it’ll stay that way.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Release us immediately!” Kadaj roared, slamming his fists against the door of the room they were locked in. They were alone, as Kadaj had insisted on killing any officer they placed in the room with them.

“Can it, nutcase!” came a voice from the intercom. “I’ll ask again: Who are you?”

“We are the sons.” Yazoo answered for the twelfth time in five minutes.

“Ugh.” the voice sighed. “And what exactly are ’The Suns’?”

“Of Jenova!” Kadaj made that statement as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 

“And what is ‘Jenova’?”

Loz growled and Kadaj slammed his fists against the door again.

“We’re not answering any more questions! RELEASE US IMMEDIATELY!!”

An exasperated sigh from the loudspeaker. “Right. Jorgenson, take them to the holding cell.”

‘Cooperate for now.’ Yazoo’s eyes gave the command as the three were cuffed and led from the cell.

 

“What do you think that witch did?” Loz asked as Kadaj paced the floor.

“Stopped Mother, you Dolt. Notice how she seems frozen?” He snapped.

“Yeah but why did she-”

A loud crash sounded from outside the door of the cell, followed by yelling and their guard saying “What the-!”

The guard went quiet and the door to their cell opened to reveal a very smug Harmony.

“You!” Kadaj roared.

“Shut-up.” She said, “Kill me later, right now we have to GO! Grab onto me and DO NOT LET GO!” Six pairs of hands fought for grab-space and Harmony closed her eyes, the others watching intently as she panted, breaking out in a sweat. The door they had barricaded fell to the ground and Zack prepared to fight again as armored soldiers swarmed the room.

“Hate to bother you, but they’re coming!” He said. Harmony nodded and her eyes tightened even more. Just as a soldier was reaching out to grab him, the group vanished from sight.

They reappeared in an alley behind Harmony’s apartment.

“What the hell was- Harmony? Are you alright?” Zack said to the swaying woman.

She leaned against the wall and struggled to stay on her feet.

“Harmony…Hey, stay awake, what happened?” Angeal asked, grasping her shoulders to steady her and forcing her to look at him. He lightly slapped her face to keep her conscious.

“It was…b…blinking…I’m sorry…that’s a very…powerful spell and I’m…I’m a little… tired… Use the fire escape…fifth story…any window…”

“Can you make it yourself?” Angeal asked.

Harmony shook her head. “Sorry.”

“Its alright. Just hold on.” Angeal lifted her up and slung her over his shoulder and started climbing the fire escape. Harmony used what little strength she had to grasp the waist of his pants and hold on. She smiled weakly at her situation.

“You know, this is very undignified.” she said.

Zack snorted as he began climbing up, followed by Yazoo, Loz, Kadaj, and Genesis. The latter going last to ensure that the triplets followed.

 

“Harmony!” Cloud exclaimed as Angeal entered from the balcony, carrying her bridal style.

“I’m fine…I just need to sit for a minute… very… draining spell.”

Angeal laid her down on the couch as gently as he could. Harmony tried not to blush as he did so, the thought popping into her head that he could lay her down for a totally different reason.

“Thank you.” she said softly.

“You’re welcome.” He answered just as softly.

“Anything I can get you Harmony?” Barrett offered, the first time he had spoken to her directly.

“Maybe…a glass of water and the blue bag from the top of the ‘fridge?” She said, not really liking having to have someone else get anything for her.

She thanked him when he returned and opened the bag. Retrieving a bottle of Tylenol, she took two of the pills and sipped at the water.

“Okay…Now that’s over with, you three don’t get to go running off by yourselves. Thanks to you, the government knows that there are people out here that have connections to that outer-space bitch.”

“WHAT?!” Kadaj said, starting toward her.

“Oh Jesus, CAN IT.” She waved her hand and a giant wave of water knocked him to the ground, conveniently disappearing after it hit him and leaving everything but him perfectly dry. He sat in that spot, a sopping mess, coughing and sputtering in complete and utter shock.

“I think I know why you all are here too, even though you died in that world.” She motioned at Sephiroth, Zack, Hojo, Angeal, and Genesis.

“I’m supposed to help you change it, I think.”

“That makes sense.” Sephiroth said. “I don’t like what I heard. And now, after speaking with Mr. Valentine, and knowing my true origins-which were kept from me-” He spared an angry glance at Hojo, “I can safely say that I will not be traveling that road.”

With that sentence, a bright light enveloped the room and receded just as quickly.

“Okay…” Harmony said, looking around, “I think you just took a step in the right direction. Now we just have to figure out what else needs to change before you can go back. But before we do that, you guys need to blend in. You’ll need new clothes, and hair dye, and most of you will need contacts.” She looked at Zack and Angeal, who were crouched at eye level not far from the couch. “It’s really pretty, but the glow has got to go. People will know you’re not …well…from around here. Where does that come from, anyway?”

Zack smiled at her, remembering when Aerith had asked the same thing. “It’s the Mako that we are exposed to when we join SOLDIER. The Mako glow.”

“Well anybody with Mako eyes has to have contacts. Especially you, Vincent.” She said, turning toward where he stood in the corner. “The red is awesome but it is not a common eye color and people will use it to identify you. The people here are going to be on high alert until we can get rid of Jenova.”

“Right. That’ll be so easy.” Reno said sarcastically.

“Hey Reno?” Harmony asked, sweetly.

“Yes Ma’am?” He said just as sweetly.

“Do you remember what I showed you earlier? With the fire?”

“Yes Ma’am.” he said, his eyes losing their sarcastic smirk.

“How’d you like me to demonstrate again, without the healing part? Or even the stopping part?”

“Well, that doesn’t sound very nice.”

“Then shut the fuck up and stop patronizing me, jerk-off.”

Everyone laughed. Even Harmony managed a weak laugh of her own.

“I like you.” Genesis said. “You’ve got gall for a woman.”

“Uh…thanks.” she said, scratching her head. “Well, I guess we should get some rest. I know its still a bit early, but it’s been a long day for everyone, and sleep wouldn’t kill a single one of us. Find a spot and claim it.” She turned to Rufus. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name.”

“Its Rufus ShinRa. Just call me Rufus.”

“Okay. That wheelchair can’t be too comfortable. You can sleep in my bed, if you want. I’ll be fine in my study.”

“Well, thank you kindly, Harmony. I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

He wheeled himself to her room, Rude, Reno, and Tseng following him. Tseng leaned against the wall outside the room while Rude and Reno stayed inside with Rufus.

Harmony stood on wobbly legs, amused and grateful for the dozen hands that reached out to steady her. “I’m okay, thanks.” she said. “Someone can have the couch. Where’s Hojo. He’s old. He should take it.”

Cid laughed loudly at that and pointed to Harmony’s study. Her eyes went cold and she marched - slowly - to the room.

“Okay, mad scientist, get the hell out of my library. I won’t have your insane and inhumane ideas polluting my world, too.” She pointed out the door.

“Hm. I get the feeling you don’t like me, my dear.” He said in his squeaky voice.

“Ya got that right, psycho. Get out and stay out. Just because I’m helping you doesn’t mean I have to like you.”

“Hmph!” He said, pushing past her and marching to the couch, where he lay down and crossed his arms, pouting like a child.

“Hey! Crazy Triplets! You guys can have the spare room, so you can keep the weirdness to yourselves. Try to keep the creepy psycho-ness to a minimum.”

They took her up on her offer as well.


	4. The History of Harmony

Chapter 4

“What a spaz.” Yazoo said, motioning toward the woman on the other side of the door.

“I kind of like her, she reminds me of-” Loz started. Kadaj interrupted him.

“Shut-up, Loz. She’s human. Gross.”

“You.” Loz said.

“What?!” Kadaj snapped, whirling around to face the eldest clone.

“You. She reminds me of you.”

Yazoo and Loz laughed as Kadaj choked and spluttered in indignance. Kadaj was still set in his ways, but Yazoo and Loz were slowly changing their minds. Maybe humans weren’t so bad after all, and maybe Jenova really was as bad as the others seemed to think. Why would everyone else in two different worlds try to stop them if they were right in their mission?

Two bright lights flashed in rapid succession in the darkness of the apartment as Harmony made her way to her balcony. She turned toward her guest room and smiled before turning back and stepping out into the cool night air.

As she leaned against the balcony rail, she noticed a shadow creep onto the balcony behind her. “Can’t sleep?” She asked, turning to see the dark haired soldier.

“After what Cloud has told me, I don’t think I’ll sleep well for a long time. To think that I could be thrown into such despair…its…unsettling.”

“I’m sorry…I seem to have forgotten your name too…I’ve met a lot of new people today.” Harmony blushed and hunched her shoulders.

“Angeal Hewley, SOLDIER First Class. And you are Harmony…?”

“Geordon. Harmony Geordon. Oldest of nine, member of the Coven of the Moon.”

“Your coven is like your unit, right?”

“Yes. And it’ll take all of us together to get rid of Jenova, or release her. So the Crazies in there can’t try to force me into letting her go. I can’t do it myself, and if they threaten my coven, I’ll make sure what they want can’t happen.”

“’Until the coven’s strength restore?’”

“Yes.” Both were quiet for a moment, and then Angeal seemed to solve a riddle in his head.

“Wait, when you say ‘making sure they don’t get what they want’…you don’t mean killing yourself, do you?”

“Well…if that’s what it takes to make sure that she can’t destroy my world, then yes. In my opinion, the safety of billions of other lives is worth the sacrifice of one.”

“That’s very noble, but - I’m sorry - stupid. What if your coven decides to release her and you don’t want to?”

“That’s the beauty of spells, they are very …picky. I can’t release her without them, and they can’t do it without me. Actually…the way I worded it… the coven would have to come to a unanimous decision before anything could be done.”

“Can you kill her?” Came a deep, rough voice from behind them. Harmony turned to see Vincent standing in the doorway.

“I don’t know. The people here have never faced anything like this…not that I know of, anyway. All I can do right now is search my Book and hope that those before me may have documented something like Jenova, and how to kill her. It may take a potion, it may take a spell. It may be that the most we can do is banish her back to your world - which lets face it: is not the most ideal option.”

“No, no it isn’t.” Angeal agreed. “Jenova wasn’t a big issue in my time…For Zack, Sephiroth, and myself, the problem was Genesis.”

“Don’t talk about me like that.” The red-head said, joining them on the balcony. “Puppy’s asleep.” He said, closing the sliding door. He walked past Vincent with a nod and came to stand on Harmony’s other side. “I know now how wrong I was in the choices I made and the beliefs I held. I will try my best to right these wrongs if I get the chance.”

Again, a blue light flashed across the group standing outside.

“What was that?” Vincent asked. “I’ve seen it happen four times now. What does it mean?”

“Well,” Harmony stated, “I think that it means the future has changed. And I think that it means that you are sincere in your wish to better yourself. The powers that be can see inside your soul. They know if you are being truthful, or if you are just saying something to get the result you want. Like I said to Sephiroth, I think that it is a step in the right direction. I think that all of you have something to learn from being here. Something about yourselves that will help change your world if and when you go back. I say ‘if’ because I honestly don’t know if I can get you back. But I do promise to do everything in my power to see you home safely. Even those of you who are crazy.” 

They were quiet for a moment before she spoke again. “The only person that I don’t think I can help is Hojo. You were all caught in situations that were unfortunate. But Hojo created his own evil. In a way, he is responsible for this whole mess. Him and ShinRa…the previous president, anyway.”

The men nodded. Harmony looked to Vincent. “Your issue seems to be that you still blame yourself. Even after Omega’s defeat and realizing that Lucrecia saved your life, you still blame yourself for her death. I won’t tell you that you need to ‘get over it’ or ‘it isn’t your fault’ because I know that things like that are hard to accomplish, no matter how easy it is to say it. Just know that as an outsider, with no connection to your world and only the facts to go on, I don’t think you have anything to feel guilty about. You DIED trying to stop this from happening. She made her choice, and it isn’t your place to harbor HER guilt.”

Vincent stared at her, looking almost angry.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to upset you.”

He stared a moment longer, then nodded his head and left the group, entering the apartment and returning to his place next to the couch. He refused to let Hojo out of his sight.

Harmony was silent after Vincent went back inside. She stared out at the city lights, and then up and the glowing alien floating menacingly above the planet. It was cold, the sea air holding a chilling bite as the wind swirled across the balcony.

“So what’s your story?” Genesis asked, leaning onto the rail so he could see her face more clearly. “One does not achieve such a fierce look if they’ve had a pleasant life.”

“Maybe that isn’t the best subject for conversation…”Harmony said, looking down.

“Come now, you know all about us. Its only fair…” Angeal cut in.

“Well, I guess.” She turned around and leaned back against the railing, looking down and studying her fingernails.

“I come from an abusive family. My parents were married when they were seventeen because my mother was pregnant with me. They both used to tell me how I ruined their lives and it would have been better if they had left me at the hospital, or drowned me as soon as they got me home.”

She barely noticed when the three clones joined them on the balcony, also listening intently.

“For as long as I can remember, up until I turned fifteen, every day was a fight. I can’t count the number of times I was in the intensive care unit at the hospital, laying in a bed only able to breathe because of the machines I was hooked to, and praying that I would just die. I asked the nurses multiple times - begged them - to unplug the machines.

“Broken bones, scars…phantom bruises that never seem to fade away… these are all things that I have to deal with in my memories. All of my siblings were treated like royalty. They knew that all they had to do was say my name in a certain way and I was in for a long night. And they used that as often as they could.

“My parents divorced when I was fifteen, and neither of my parents wanted me, so they gave me to the state. That’s where I met Holly. She was a ward of the state as well. She taught me a lot about my gifts, because she had them too.

“I had confided in her one night about how when my parents or siblings would attack me, sometimes strange things would happen. My sister losing an eye out of nowhere being one example.

“She told me what I am, and taught me how to use it. When we were sixteen, we were able to get ourselves legally emancipated and get our own apartment and jobs. We were officially adults and the state had no power over us anymore.

“That same year, Holly introduced me to a friend of hers. His name was Jade and he was not like us, but he knew about us. I didn’t get a good feeling from him, so I stayed away for the most part. It was the end of that year when Holly asked me to go to a party with her. Be the designated driver, so to speak. I went along: I didn’t want her trying to drive home if she was drinking.

“It turned out that it wasn’t really a party. Just the two of us, Jade and another of his friends. My mistake was staying. I should have left. Holly had too much to drink, so I ended up holding her hair out of her face while she got sick.

“I have a weak stomach for things like that, even to this day, so it wasn’t long before I had to leave the bathroom or I was going to be on my knees right next to her. I left to the connecting bedroom, but left the door open so if she needed me, I could hear her.

“She suddenly got up and slammed the door shut, locking it from the other side.”

All of the men on the balcony suddenly got chills as they hoped she wouldn’t say what they thought she would. Even Kadaj dreaded hearing it.

“I tried the door to the main area, but it was blocked from the outside. At that time, the only magic I could use was telekinesis, and I didn’t have a great handle on that. Certainly not enough to protect myself, and I had never studied self defense in my life.” She was silent for a moment, and Angeal suddenly sensed that she was fighting off tears.

“Stop.” He said. “You don’t have to tell us anymore if it bothers you this much.”

She shook her head. “No…I didn’t realize before now…just how much I need to talk about this…” She took a deep breath and continued.

“I had been dating someone. Not seriously, just here and there…but Holly didn’t like him, because he took my attention away from her. She figured if I would sleep with Jade, then my lover would leave me. Even though I wasn’t serious about him and it probably would have been over in a week.” she snarled the last part.

“Imagine Jade’s surprise when I wouldn’t consent…and mine…” the entire group held their breath, “when he did it anyway.”

Her will broke then, and she let out a quiet sob, shocked when a pale hand reached out and rested on her shoulder. “He got away with it! Holly…She…My BEST FRIEND…lied for him…told the authorities that I was lying…that she had been there and everything was consensual… I… God, I hate them both so much!”

No one, though, was more shocked than Kadaj as the group watched Yazoo pull the crying girl into his arms and softly pet her hair.

“I’m sorry that happened to you. I understand your fear now…why you were as afraid as you were when we took you from the beach.” He looked at Kadaj, seeming to convey without words that he needed to say something.

“I…” Kadaj started. “I’m sorry.” His brothers both nodded their agreement.

“It happened to us, too.” Loz stated. Harmony jerked her head up to stare at the man holding her.

“It’s true.” he confirmed. “When we were in Hojo’s labs, he did everything he wanted. If he wanted sex, he took it. Whether his partners were willing, or not.” 

A deadly fire suddenly flashed through Harmony’s eyes, causing Yazoo to release her and take a step back. He instinctively reached for his gun but stopped when he realized that her anger was not directed at him. She pointed in the direction of the couch inside the apartment. “That…Hojo?” she said through gritted teeth.

“Oh well done.” Kadaj said to Yazoo.

“Answer me!” She snarled.

“Yes.” Loz said quietly.

She rushed the door, intending to tear the scientist limb from limb with her bare hands. There were suddenly hands on her arms and waist, holding her back as she growled and struggled, not thinking clearly enough to use her powers to free herself.

“Stop, Harmony!” Genesis said, “Stop! We may need him to get us home!” Kadaj stood in front of the door, refusing to let her pass as she freed herself from the hands holding her.

“No one should have to go through that!” she argued, pacing, “And anyone who commits such a crime should die. There is nothing worse than what he’s done!”

“And if WE can get past our issues with him, then you should accept that. He won’t get away with it. Rest assured that if he is still alive when we get back to our own world, he won’t be for long because I will kill him myself.”

That seemed to satisfy the girl, because her eyes cleared almost instantly and she wobbled slightly.

She looked slightly confused. Then mortified.

“Oh no, I went postal, didn’t I?” she looked around at the men. They nodded carefully, Angeal and Genesis still watching her with unreadable expressions. “I didn’t kill anyone, right?” she asked, sounding panicked.

“…No…” Kadaj drawled, the word sounding more like a question, “Are you as crazy as you accuse us of being?”

“No…” she sighed in relief, “I’m sorry…its my trigger, you see…if I hear about a rape and the criminal wasn’t punished, I just snap. I can’t help it. Its only happened a few times…and there were a couple fatalities. I’m sorry you all had to see that.”

“So you remember nothing of what just happened?” Angeal asked, stepping towards her.

“No…I remember being told that Hojo…you know what…I’m not going to say it. But I remember the conversation, but the next thing I knew, I was asking myself why the hell I was about to attack Kadaj.”

“Who were they?” Angeal asked. “The ones you killed?”

She looked down. “I’m not proud of it. I never intended to kill them… I had cursed them both…”

“Who?” Genesis prodded.

“Holly and Jade. That was my greatest fear. After it happened, I was suicidal. These-” she flashed pale, scarred wrists, “-were not an accident. After a few months in a psych ward-” Kadaj interrupted her.

“And you call US crazy?!”

She ignored him and kept going, “They shouldn’t have let me out when they did…I wasn’t ‘better’, I wasn’t ready…But the therapist said I could go. So I did. I had realized by that time that what happened was NOT my fault, and I vowed that it would never happen again.”

“So you took self defense classes.” Yazoo cut in.

“Yes. Name the self defense or martial arts course, and I have taken it. I know twelve techniques, from hand to hand to weapons training.” Her face became hard and determined. “That will never…happen…to me again. They would have to kill me first- I’ll MAKE them kill me first -and I would make damn sure to take them with me. I wouldn’t use my powers unless there was more than one, just to make sure that I got them all.”

Angeal was blown away. She was nowhere near the helpless magician he thought she was. 

“Anyway… I wasn’t afraid of him after I got out of the institute. I was afraid of me. Afraid of what I would do if ever given the means or the opportunity. And those fears proved to be so valid. I was in the grocery store and I saw them. They laughed at me, waving and smirking. I waited ‘til they left the store, and followed them, telling myself the whole time that this was wrong, it wasn’t my place to pass that punishment…but I couldn’t stop it. I was so angry. I didn’t care that I was throwing away everything I had ever believed in for two people that weren’t worth the oxygen it took to keep them alive. My anger gave me power. None of Holly’s magic worked on me. It just bounced right off. I didn’t even use magic on them.” She held up her hands and stared at them, palms up.

“After it was over, I sat in her house, right next to her body…and I stared at the blood on my hands. For hours. I watched it dry and cake under my fingernails. I cried so hard that I thought I was going to pass out. I had just gone against everything I had ever believed in to kill two people…out of hate, and vengeance.”

She shuddered.

“I used my magic to clean up the mess, and I cast a glamour, making it look like they had OD’d on drugs. The glamour lasted until after they were buried. I went on as if nothing had happened. I don’t even know the extent of what happened to them. I remember getting in my car to follow them, and then sitting on the floor covered in their blood.”

“What exactly are your beliefs?” Kadaj asked.

“They follow our rede. ‘And harm ye none, do what thou will’. Basically, no one, no matter who or what they are, has the right to take the life of another. It is NOT OUR PLACE to pass that punishment. Not our place to decide… We can do what ever we want with our magic, as long as we don‘t hurt anyone, because everything we deal out, we get back…times three.”

“That’s why you demanded no fatalities when we got these three out of prison?” Angeal asked.

“Yes.” Harmony whispered.

All was quiet for a moment as the men processed what they had been told.

“If the others ask about you?” Genesis asked, thinking of Zack and his curious nature.

“Tell them. I won’t hide myself. You all deserve to know as much about me as I demanded to know about you.”

“Come on Gen,” Angeal interrupted. “let’s get some rest. Puppy will be awake early and in this situation I think it best if we’re all awake to keep an eye on him.”

“Puppy?” Harmony asked.

“Zack.” They both said at the same time.

“As curious as a puppy.” Angeal clarified.

Harmony smiled softly. “Okay. G’night then. There are spare pillows and blankets in the library closet. By the way, I meant to ask earlier: What the hell is a dumbapple?”

Angeal and Genesis began laughing. Between chuckles, they thanked her and made their way inside leaving her question unanswered.

“Not tired?” Harmony asked the clones that remained.

“Not really.” Kadaj answered coming to stand beside her.

“Should I be worried about being alone with you three?” she asked him.

He sighed. “No, I guess not. For right now, at least-”

“Loz and I won’t hurt you.” Yazoo said. “Its Kadaj that has the short temper.”

Kadaj whirled around. “This is called mutiny.” he said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

“Do something about it.” Loz said, smirking.

“Hey now, I said keep the psycho-ness to a minimum.” Harmony said.

“Says the woman that just went full out homicidal not five minutes ago, and doesn’t remember any of it.” Kadaj sassed.

“You’re a jerk-off, you know that?” she shot back.

“Villain!” he pointed to himself , “I’m supposed to be a jerk.”

“Well…” She said.

“Well?” Kadaj mocked.

“Well…just…shut your pie hole.” She finished with a smile.

“Kadaj 1, Harmony 0.” Yazoo said, chuckling lightly.

“Go to bed!” Harmony ordered with mock irritation. “We have a long day of hair coloring and clothes shopping ahead of us.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Loz said. He took his brothers by the backs of their necks and ushered them inside. “I get the bed!” he said loudly. Harmony smiled at the chorus of “Shhhh!” that came from the living area of the apartment. She shook her head and went inside, closing and locking the sliding door.

Looking to her left, she saw Angeal standing against the wall speaking quietly with Vincent, Genesis, and Sephiroth. She tossed them a playful salute and went into her library.

“Don’t let anyone leave the house if you wake up before me!” she called softly. They made sounds of agreement and she nodded her head.

Deciding to leave the door open - just in case, she hurriedly lay a few blankets on the floor, making a semi-soft place to sleep, and then pulled out extra pillows. She then noticed that she did not have any nightclothes in her library.

“Shit.” she whispered. She quietly snuck down the dark hallway to stand a few feet from the tall man guarding Rufus.

“Psst.” she said quietly.

“How can I help you, Harmony?” Tseng asked.

“I forgot…I need some nightclothes. I don’t want to bother your boss if he’s sleeping…would you mind grabbing the gown and robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door in there?”

If the man was uncomfortable with his chore, he didn’t show it. He stepped inside the room, pausing to whisper “Its me! Our host would like her nightgown and robe.” and Harmony heard the sound of two pistols being set back to safety.

“Hey!” she whispered forcefully, “I better not see what I think I just heard! I don’t care if you have them but you better not even THINK about using them in my house!”

“Do as she says.” She heard Rufus’ drowsy voice in the dark.

“Sorry.” she said, “I didn’t meant to wake you.”

“Its alright. Please, come in and get what you need.” He answered.

“Okay.” Harmony walked to her bathroom quickly, grabbing her toothbrush, hairbrush, hair tie, and nightgown and robe.

“Okay, that’s all I need. Please, all of you need your rest. No one will bother you, so all four of you can sleep.” Harmony said.

“Very well.” Rufus said. “Tseng, get some sleep.” He ordered. 

“Yes sir.”

 

Harmony made her way back to her library, closing the door momentarily to change her clothes. When she was in her nightgown, she opened the door and shut off the light.

Making herself comfortable, she pulled the comforter up to her chin and let her eyes drift closed.


	5. Blending In

Chapter 5

*CRASH!*

Harmony jerked awake when the loud sound echoed through her apartment. She threw her robe on and rushed out to the living area. Her guests were all awake, gathered around the television, and Zack was in the kitchen. She walked around the bar to see what he had dropped. Her coffee pot was on the ground in a million pieces, and Zack was standing over it, looking sheepish.

“Oh hell no…” Harmony said. “You’re all in for it now…with as busy as this day is gonna get…and I don’t get any coffee? You’re fired.” she pointed at Zack. “Now I see why they-”she pointed at Genesis, Angeal, and Sephiroth as all three tried to contain their amusement, “call you puppy. You’re as destructive as one.”

“Sorry.” he said.

“Rrg. Its okay…accidents happen. Just don‘t let me catch you chewing on my shoes.” That earned sharp laughter from Genesis and Angeal, and a real smile from Sephiroth. She took a deep breath. “Okay guys, patience today. I’ll try not to be too bitchy. I’m going to need someone to come with me while I get clothes for you, and hair color, and contacts.”

“I’ll go!” Zack offered.

“Pup!” Angeal said.

“No no, I’ll watch out for him, he can come. Any one else?” Harmony asked.

“I’ll go.” Cid said.

“I will join you as well. I would very much like to see this…new dimension.” Hojo said from his position on the couch.

Harmony zeroed in on him, advancing slowly.

Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz prepared to intercept if they needed to, noticing that Angeal and Genesis were doing the same.

“You,” she said angrily, “are already on my shit list. Twice.” She growled low in her throat. “Fine. But the only reason I’m allowing this is because I don’t want you snooping around my books and my computer while I’m gone. I want someone else to come too, because if you try to get away, you’re going down. Do you understand? If for two seconds I can’t see you, I’ll make sure its because you’re dead. Comprende, Mad Scientist?”

Her tone actually impressed the triplets. She COULD be scary.

“I’ll go.” Kadaj said.

Harmony seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. “Okay.” She finally said. “But you have to change. Come with me, I have some jeans and a few t-shirts that aren’t too girlie. A hoodie to hide your hair would probably be best, too. Cops will be looking for you.”

She led him to her room and he watched as she dug through her dresser drawers to find what she was looking for. “Aha!” she exclaimed. She threw a pair of ratty jeans and a black t-shirt at him, and then went to her closet to retrieve her own clothes. She picked out a pretty yellow three-quarter sleeve button down shirt, and khaki shorts. Her white tennis shoes were in the living area.

“Put those on, your sword stays here.” She said. She left him to get dressed and changed her own clothes in her library.

“Zack, can the shoulder straps come off?” She asked as she sat down next to Loz to put her shoes on.

“But it’s to hold my sword…” Zack said.

“Well you won’t need it.” she said in a patronizing tone. “Here.” she threw another hoodie at him as Kadaj walked out of the room fully dressed. “Hood up, please.” she said when she saw him.

He flicked the hood up, trying to look ‘cool’ as he did it. Harmony couldn’t see a single strand of silver hair.

“Good.” She said. “You too.” she said to Zack. “I don’t want them recognizing you as one of the terrorists that attacked the police station yesterday.”

“Okay.” Zack put the hoodie on and pulled the hood over his hair.

“Alright!” Harmony said, turning to face the rest of the group. “Please…! All of you please stay inside. Do not leave unless you have to. It’s a possibility that the cops have traced you guys to my apartment. I do have a past with the authorities and they have security cameras. If they come here, go out through the attic window. It goes to the roof. I want you to take my cell.” She tossed Rufus a small phone. “Call my pager if you have to leave. The number is in there. Otherwise, I’ll be back in a few hours.”

She turned to Zack, Cid, Hojo, and Kadaj. “Hojo, lab coat off.” The old man grumbled but did as he was told. With that, the five left the house.

 

“Come on, I think you’d look good with black hair. So would Yazoo.” Harmony said.

“What, you want me to look like him?” Kadaj pointed at Zack. “Shut up old man!” He said to the laughing Cid.

“Whatever you say kid.” said pilot retorted.

“Know what?!” Harmony said cheekily.

“What?” Kadaj drawled.

“You don’t have a choice. You can kill me later. After we get rid of that-” he gave her a hard look, “-ahem-Jenova. After we get rid of Jenova and figure out how to get you home. It can be my farewell gift to you.”

She hurriedly tossed at least four boxes of each color into the cart, just to make sure she had enough. “What about Sephiroth? I mean, we’re gonna need like, twelve bottles for his hair, unless he’d let me cut it…”

“That depends…do you like the placement of your head?” Zack said, bouncing next to her as he held onto the squirming Hojo’s ponytail.

“What do you mean?” Harmony asked, confused.

“Do you like your head where it is…on your shoulders attached to your neck? Or would you rather it be rolling across the floor?” He clarified.

Harmony made a choked sound and placed her hand on her throat. “Okay, no cutting. Twelve boxes of chestnut brown it is!”

The four men chuckled at her discomfort.

“Christ, what kind of psychos am I allowing into my home?” she joked.

“About the same kind that already lives there.” Kadaj said dryly.

Harmony shoved him and the force knocked her to the side where he didn’t budge. Cid watched the two as they laughed and scratched at his chin. He’d be damned if those two weren’t flirting.

 

“Okay!” Harmony said as the group re-entered the apartment. “Over here! Vincent, I got you brown contacts. They’ll make your eyes kind of amber, which is more acceptable. Angeal, Your contacts are the same color, but I think they’ll cover the glow. Genesis, Sephiroth, yours are the same. Sephiroth, You can’t put yours in until I color your hair. Don’t look at me like that, you stick out too much. You go last anyway. You’ll take too long to wash it out. Cloud, contacts. The rest of you, clothes. Go by size. Barrett…” she tried to think of a way to phrase the question. “Is there any way to…disguise you arm?”

The big man nodded his head and pulled a large glove from his back pocket, slipping it over his mechanical arm.

“Thanks. Vincent, get rid of the gold. I found you some heavy-duty boots that will make up for the armor if that makes you feel better.”

The men started digging through bags to find what was theirs, including Loz and Yazoo.

“Not yet, crazy clones.” She said, smiling affectionately. “Loz, You’re first. Ever thought of becoming blonde?”

He was silent for a moment. “…Are you serious?” He dead-panned. 

“Excellent, I’ll take that as a ‘Yes Harmony, I’d LOVE to be blonde!’.” Harmony said. She grabbed the surprised clone’s hand and dragged him to the bathroom. “Take that off.” She looked at his suit, realizing that it was a one-piece. “On second thought…I’ll just get a towel.”

Loz smirked as did Kadaj and Yazoo as they strolled into the room as well. They watched Harmony open the bottle of dye and pour it into the solution, then put the gloves on and shake the bottle before cutting the tip off and beginning to pour the mixture onto the clone’s head. Before long, the dye saturated his whole head, she even went against the rules and used a q-tip to put some on his eyebrows. 

“Do NOT let that get into your eyes, or you’ll be very, very sorry.” she warned. Loz nodded and then smirked when Harmony snagged Kadaj.

“Dammit! Why do I have to be next?!” he whined. Harmony froze and started giggling.

“You know, considering how menacing you were day-before yesterday…you sure are a wuss.” She laughed again. “I can’t believe that when all this is over, a WUSS is going to kill me.” she joked.

Yazoo and Loz looked confused as she began pouring the newly mixed solution onto the middle clone’s hair.

“What?” Yazoo asked.

“Oh yeah, I promised Kadaj that if he still wants to kill me, he can AFTER this is over.” Harmony said with a wink and a smile.

Kadaj smiled also, but the other two didn’t, knowing full well that as tame as their brother was acting, he was no where near as socially inclined normally, and was fully capable of doing what he promised.

Soon, it was Yazoo’s turn. It took longer to do his hair than the other two, and when he questioned the reason, Harmony laughed and explained that his hair was longer than the others, and making him gasp when she speculated that Sephiroth’s hair would probably take her a couple of hours.

By the time she finished putting the dye in Yazoo’s hair, it was time for Loz to wash his. Harmony decided to wait until the triplets were washed before starting Sephiroth’s hair. In the meantime, she had to figure out how to do it without being murdered. She instructed Kadaj to shower after Loz, and Yazoo immediately after that, and then left the room before she had the chance to see naked clones.

She nearly ran into Vincent, who was making his way to her room to use her bathroom. “Oh, sorry!” she said, looking up. “Holy cow!” she softly cried when she saw vivid amber eyes. The color was perfect…but still didn’t cover the glow as much as she had hoped.

“I take it the color is satisfactory?” He said with a hint of amusement.

“Its great…but why are you still wearing the gold?” she said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

“I’m actually on my way to change in your bathroom, if that’s not a problem. Its my turn, everyone else is changed. If that obnoxious little SOLDIER kid tries stripping down in my presence again, I may just shoot him in the foot.” He said.

“Vincent, did you just crack a joke?” Harmony asked.

“I do not ‘joke’. I am all too serious.” Vincent assured her.

“Haha, okay…go get changed…” She said, waving him down the hall. She turned away from him mouthing ‘crazy!’ and continued to the living area.

“You!” she pointed at Zack, “Exhibit a little modesty, please, or someone will shoot you. And it won’t be who you’d think!” she threatened.

She quickly gathered up three piles of clothes and stuck pieces of tape to them, writing each clone’s name on their clothes. She thrust the clothes in Cloud’s hands. “Take these to the crazies.” She glanced at his contacts, relieved to see that they covered the glow much better than Vincent’s did his. “Nice, they work.” she commented.

She looked around as he did as she asked. “You all look great. I’m going to have a hell of a time keeping the floosies away. Great. I did my work too well…” she muttered the last part to herself. “All except you.” she said to Hojo. “You’re still nasty.” She noticed Loz standing in the hall. “You look great.” she threw over her shoulder.

“What is your issue with me, my dear?” Hojo growled at her just as Loz walked out of the hallway, hair still wet.

“You don’t want to go there, Hojo.” he said.

“Do not speak to me. You’re nothing but a failed experiment!” Hojo snapped at the now-blonde. Everyone in the room watched as Harmony froze and turned around to face the old man on her couch.

“What did you just say?” She said very quietly.

 

By the time the other clones emerged from the bathroom sporting darker hair and more practical clothes, Hojo was sitting on the couch holding an ice-pack to his already green-and-purple bruised eye.

“What happened to him?” Kadaj asked, pointing to the scientist. 

“He called Loz a failed experiment and told him not to talk to him.” Tseng said, trying to hold in his chuckle. No one liked the scientist, it seemed.

“So Loz hit him?” Yazoo asked.

“No.” Rufus cut in.

“Then who-” they both started at the same time.

“Are you going to keep your nasty remarks to yourself now, jack-ass, or do I have to hit you again?” Harmony asked sweetly. Well - as sweetly as she could while waving a fist in his face and some pills in the other hand.

Kadaj and Yazoo looked shocked. Then amused.

The scientist said nothing, just took the pills from her and dry swallowed them.

“That’s what I thought.” Harmony smirked. It was then that she noticed the men.

“I was right!” she crowed. “You both look GREAT!” She grinned evilly and turned to Sephiroth. 

The great general felt a cold chill take him as he took in her expression, and he knew that unless he intended to kill her…which he knew he could not afford to do…he was getting his hair colored.

“Your turn!” She sang.


	6. A FIght and a Kiss

Chapter 6

Two hours, eleven and a half bottles of dye, and four near fist-fights later, A very brown-haired Sephiroth entered the living area.

“Stop glaring at me, you look great.” she said. “And seeing as how my head is STILL attached to my neck, I think I win.” She said, referring to the bet she and Zack had made about the coloring of the general’s hair. She turned to Zack. “You owe me a sparring match.” She cracked her knuckles and smiled wickedly as the SOLDIER paled.

“I don’t want to hurt you though!” Zack said.

Harmony laughed. “If you hurt me, its my own fault. No weapons, at least at first. Just hand to hand for now. Help me move the furniture.”

The men all helped her move things out of harms way, before backing up as far as they could.

Harmony unbuttoned the bottom of her shirt and tied the ends together so she was more comfortable before stepping out into the middle of the room and beckoning for Zack to join her and taking a fighter’s pose. She grinned as he sighed, resigned, and took his place. She took in his form, noticing the size of his boots and the bulge of his muscle. She knew that she would have to be quick and avoid being hit, as it would probably take only one or two good hits and she would be down for the count.

With a deep breathe and a smile, she rushed Zack, waiting until the last minute to swing around behind him and try to land an elbow to his back. He dropped to the ground and his leg shot out, knocking her to her back. She rolled and in one quick movement was on her feet again, blocking the barrage of attacks that Zack threw at her. She blocked a fist aimed at her chest and lashed out, dragging her fingernails across his cheek.

“You’re holding back.” She observed. “Stop it. Whatever you got, I can take it.” she ordered.

Zack grimaced and nodded his head. Suddenly, his attacks came faster and more frequently. It was all Harmony could do to avoid his strong fist and big boots. She knew at that point that the only way she was going to beat him was strategy. She had to wear him out and discover his weakness.

In her distracted state, she missed the boot aimed at her stomach and paid for it, flying backward to collide with the wall next to Angeal. The big man reached down to help her up and she shoved his hand away.

“No.” she said, “I got this.” she twisted around and the group listened to the sickening ‘crack’ as her back popped in several places. “That’s more like it.” she said to Zack before rushing him again. She noticed that most of his attacks were aimed higher and that his balance on one foot was not great, so she aimed low, going for his hips and knees to bring him down. She finally landed a blow to his knee that doubled him over and she used that to her advantage, gripping the back of his head and slamming his face into her knee before shooting her hands out and throwing him into the wall by the window, smashing a vase full of lilacs behind him.

By that time, the rest of the group were cheering and calling out to both of them, offering strategies to both fighters.

“Now we’re even.” she said as he stood. “Wanna get your sword yet?” she taunted.

“Harmony, that isn’t a good idea-” Angeal started.

“No offense, and thanks for the warning, but I wasn’t talking to you.” she said, not taking her eyes off of Zack.

By that time, Zack was irritated that she had been able to throw him, so he marched over to Angeal and wrenched his sword from his hands.

Harmony smiled and went to the stand next to the couch that had been moved up against the wall. Reaching inside, she pulled out two battle-fans, each bearing mean-looking blades.

“Bring it.” she taunted. Zack rushed her.

Sparks flew as she used her fans to block each attack. She finally flipped them open and the men gasped at the multiple blades lining each connector. She swung the fans at Zack with expert grace, nearly taking his head off with one swing.

“First one to bleed?” she said, making the rule.

“Deal.” Zack agreed, swinging at her once again.

That is how the next near hour was spent, swing, block, swing, block, until Harmony realized that Zack was not going to tire, but she was. She used her last burst of real strength as Zack swung at her to trap his sword between the metal connectors of her fan, closing her weapon and wrenching it sideways, disarming the man quickly. With one final lunge, she had him on his back, straddling his lap with her one open fan at his throat. She grinned and applied slight pressure, barely breaking the skin, but still causing the SOLDIER to bleed. At that exact moment, the others gasped and she felt a small prick on her shoulder blade and a light trickle of blood down her back.

Zack had a small knife he’d pulled from his boot.

He stared up at her, blinking as sweat dripped from her to him. He finally smiled and moved his knife from her back, allowing her to move her fans as well.

“Tie?” he asked, panting.

“Tie.” she agreed, also panting. She got off of him and offered him her hand, shocking everyone once again as she all but lifted the SOLDIER from the ground.

And suddenly they were both surrounded, Angeal wrapping one arm around Zack and leading him away, looking as though he wasn’t sure whether he should scold or congratulate the man.

“That was amazing!” Cloud said, clapping her on the back.

“Amazing doesn’t even come close.” Rufus interjected. “You’re ShinRa material, my dear.”

“Thanks, and no thanks. I’m not interested in using my gifts for anything other than sport-like this-or self defense.”

“That was actually pretty impressive.” Kadaj said, stealing her attention. “You might actually rival me in your speed with those fans.” he admitted.

“Thanks.” she said. She reached around the bar and grabbed a couple of kitchen towels. She tossed one to Zack and then began mopping the sweat from her chest and neck.

“I have some antibacterial ointment in my bathroom.” she told Zack, “Let me grab some.”

Zack nodded and followed her to the bathroom, as did Kadaj.

Yazoo and Loz stayed in the living area, exchanging looks with the others before the entire group erupted in soft chuckles.

 

“Here ya go.” Harmony said, pouring some alcohol onto a cotton ball and putting it on the cut on Zack’s neck.

“Ow!” he said, jerking away for a second before taking the swab and doing it himself. “Warn a guy.” he smiled.

“Sorry.” Harmony said. She waited until Zack had cleaned the wound, and then used a clean swab to rub some ointment into it.

“Thanks.” Zack said. Harmony nodded and allowed Zack to leave the room, only then noticing that Kadaj had followed as well.

“You could have kicked my ass on the beach.” he accused.

“…Possibly.” Harmony allowed.

“Why did you just let me take you then?” He sat down next to her on the rim of the bathtub.

“Well…to be honest…I’m not sure. Something just…spoke to me and told me not to fight too hard. I really don’t even know why I decided to run on the beach. That’s not my normal run.”

“You’re bleeding.” Kadaj interrupted.

It was only then that Harmony remembered the cut to the back of her shoulder that Zack had delivered.

“Oh…yeah.” she let out a small laugh and reached for the alcohol and cotton balls, only to have Kadaj slap her hands away. His own pale hands took over, splashing the alcohol on the pad and slowly pulled her shirt over her shoulder to reveal creamy pale skin.

The cut wasn’t bad, but worse than either had first thought. Kadaj pulled her shirt down further and carefully began wiping the blood off of her skin. Soon, however, he realized that as soon as he let her shirt slide back up, blood would cover her skin again.

“You need to take your shirt off.” He said.

Harmony eyed him suspiciously, but after looking at her back and putting the pieces together, she realized that he was right. She slowly unbuttoned and untied her shirt, slipping it off of her shoulders and letting Kadaj toss it into the trash bin. Neither noticed Cid creep into the doorway, joined by a silent Vincent.

Kadaj finished cleaning the blood from her back and shoulder, and then prepared another swab. He tried to be quick about it. He wasn’t as sadistic as everyone thought he was. He didn’t want to cause her pain unless he had to. Still, she hissed as the alcohol made contact with the cut. Kadaj leaned in, surprising himself as he fought not to blush, and blew across the cut gently. He smirked when he saw goose bumps erupt on her skin. He finished cleaning the wound and stuck his hand around for the ointment, rubbing it over the cut with a bare finger and then covered it with the bandage that she handed him.

“All done.” he said quietly, still leaning closer than was really necessary. The two men in the doorway struggled to hear the conversation.

“Thank you.” Harmony said, just as quietly. She turned her head to face him, surprised at his closeness.

“Your…welcome.” he said. “I’m not as bad as they think, you know.”

“You’re not?” Harmony could feel her breathing speed up again.

“I only do what Mother asks… I can’t help it, she’s so powerful, you see… I was content to pick my life up again after Hojo released his experiments …I just wanted to be free… but then she started talking to me… The planet deserved what it got… that’s what she told me. What she still tells me… I don’t know why she chose me… Yazoo and Loz can’t hear her… Only me…” he said, leaning into the hollow of her throat. “She’s quieter now… just a faint whisper in the back of my mind. I still think that someone has to be punished for what was done to her… and I’m fighting so hard between hating you for trapping her, and thanking you for weakening her hold on me…”

“Kadaj…” Harmony said, her breath rustling his hair and causing it to tickle his forehead. “If you’ll let me…I can help you…”

“I don’t want your help.” he said, pushing forward and brushing his lips across her ear.

Harmony turned her body toward him and gasped when he trapped her against the wall, an arm on either side of her.

“I don’t need your help.” his face a mere breath away from hers. “All I want is understanding. And respect.” He was so close to her now. If she inhaled, her lungs expanding would push her forward from the wall and their lips would be touching.

“Kadaj…” She whispered, her breath hitching and giving her away.

He smirked and closed the distance between them, slowly molding his lips to hers. His hand left the wall and cupped the back of her neck as she began to respond to his kiss.

Harmony had never felt this way. She hadn’t been with anyone-hadn’t even KISSED anyone-since she was raped. She wasn’t a virgin when she was raped, but never had anyone ever inspired such flustered lust, she just did it because it was expected. No one had even been able to get as close as she allowed him to be. Not for years, anyway.

She let out a shaky breath and let her arms wrap around his shoulders, falling into the kiss and responding softly-until she felt soft fabric against her bare chest. She pushed him away and held him at arms length with her head bowed.

“I’m sorry…” she said, “This shouldn’t happen… not now…” she looked up at him, expecting to see anger, but saw instead only amusement and understanding.

“All right.” he said. “I’ll leave you alone to … cover yourself.” But as he turned to leave he stopped short, causing Harmony to look around him.

She froze and blushed in mortification when she saw Cid and Vincent standing in the doorway. She squealed and hid herself behind Kadaj.

“It isn’t what it looks like!” she said.

“Huh. Too bad, I was about to congratulate the punk on a job well done.” Cid chuckled.

“We came to make sure you’re all right.” Vincent said. “You seemed to be exhausted…and with Kadaj missing as well…” he trailed off.

“You thought I’d try to kill her.” Kadaj finished. He sounded amused, like he wasn’t irritated or affected…but after hearing his words only moments before, she knew that it was all an act.

“I’m fine. You guys don’t give them enough credit. They gave their word, and in this situation, they warrant trust.” Harmony said. “They can’t lie to me, anyway. You can’t lie to a witch.”

Kadaj looked at her and said “I don’t need you to defend me, and neither do Loz or Yazoo.” but she saw in his eyes the gratitude. She could have sworn she saw a little nugget of respect force its way into his brain as well. She suddenly knew that of everyone in the group, Kadaj, Vincent, and Hojo would be the most difficult to change.

“Of course.” Vincent said. Still the three men stood there.

Harmony finally let modesty overtake her.

“Do you perverts mind? Or are you enjoying the show?!” she said. She nearly laughed as two of the three jumped and rushed down the hall. The third remained behind for a moment.

Kadaj turned around and faced her. He raised his hand and ran his fingers down her arm gently, turning away and walking out of the room when his pale fingers reached her wrist.


	7. Dinner and a Trip

Chapter 7

“Okay.” Harmony said, sitting down in her living room and flipping the TV on. “I spoke to the High Priest of my coven.” That got everyone’s attention. “He said that he wants to look through all of the documentation available to him before we meet. He agrees with the spell that I cast on Jenova, but he wants me to keep you all away from the rest of the coven. He would prefer that I do the same to you, but I asked that I be allowed to just let you stay here, and he said that is all right as long as you don’t start trouble.”

“Okay. No trouble.” Loz said. “Do you have any food?”

“Hmph. How rude.” Genesis said, but it was clear that he was interested in the answer as well.

“Oh my God!” Harmony said, appalled, “I haven’t fed you all once since you got here!” She ran to her kitchen and started rifling through cupboards. “I am so sorry! I didn’t even think about it…now that I realize…I’m kind of hungry too…” She dug through her kitchen frantically.

“Okay…I have NO FOOD. Um…” she thought for a moment. “How about this: If you all SWEAR to behave yourselves,” she focused on Kadaj and Zack, “I’ll take you to a diner, then we can go shopping for stuff for the house after we eat.”

“That would be acceptable.” Vincent said. The others nodded.

“Yeah, now that you blend in, it will be easier to hide who you are.”

She made her way through the group to her bedroom, grabbed her purse, and returned to the living room. “Okay, there’s a diner down the street. I know the woman that owns it, so there’s bound to be some questions. What’s the story?”

“You could tell her I’m your brother and these are my friends from college?” Zack suggested.

“Good try but she knows that I don’t have a brother.”

“What about old friends from your time in state custody?” Rude asked. “A few of us look around your age, and the others could be friends of friends.”

Harmony smiled. “That actually sounds great. Good one.” She double checked each of her guests. “Okay, I won’t say you can’t bring your weapons, because we may run into trouble. Its only a matter of time before the cops find us. I will ask that you keep it strictly concealed. If its too big to hide, leave it in the attic here.”

There were a few grumbled protests, but they did as they were asked, and then followed Harmony out the door and let her lead them to the diner.

 

As Harmony had predicted, it was difficult to keep the women away from her guests. Especially Cloud, Vincent, and the triplets.

“HE’S GAY!” She shouted at a group of women that were pestering Kadaj from the booth behind them.

Kadaj smirked and looked at Harmony knowingly as the women behind him let out sounds of disappointment.

“Can we get to-go boxes please?!” she said to the waitress as she passed.

“Is there a problem, Harmony?” Reno asked in a smart tone.

“Shut yer face, we’re drawing too much attention.” She snapped.

“You didn’t feel that way until they started hitting on Kadaj.” Cid piped in.

She gasped and stuttered for a moment before scowling at the pilot. “You’re crazy. That was just my breaking point, that’s all.”

Almost every man at the table rolled their eyes.

Harmony scowled as she piled what was left of their food into the containers and stuffed them into bags. “Come on, we still have to go to the grocery store. Then I think we should probably pack up and go to my coven’s cabin. No one will be there, and Austin gave me permission to use it if I needed. We should be safe from the police and government there.”

 

“Well what does it taste like?” Loz asked as Harmony shoved a package of lamb into his hands and told him to put it into the cart.

“Hell, I don’t know…it tastes like lamb!”

“Oh! Oh!” Reno interrupted, “I had lamb at the diner, it tastes like Tonberry.”

“How the hell do you know what Tonberry tastes like?” Barrett exclaimed.

“Hey, when you’re on missions for days at a time in the middle of nowhere, you eat what you can kill.”

“Just like Tonberry, or kind of like Tonberry?” Loz and Yazoo asked at the same time.

“A little more gamey. Kind of has a natural kick.” 

The clones nodded their heads.

“You too?” Barrett asked, disgusted.

“We lived at the Northern Cave you know.” Kadaj said.

“Enough! GAH! Just…enough!” Harmony said. She grabbed the cart and made a beeline for the check stand.

The men followed behind quietly, well aware that Harmony was struggling to control her irritation.

 

“So how do we get all of this stuff back, and how are we getting to this cabin?” Reno asked as they stepped outside the grocery store.

“I DO have a car you know.” Harmony said. “It’ll be crowded, and probably more than a little uncomfortable, but we’ll make it. It’s out-of-state, so we should be safe enough.” She stepped to the corner and let out a shrill whistle, waving her hand in the air as a yellow taxi van pulled to the curb. “Corner of Van Ness and Geary.” She said after sliding in the front seat while the others piled into the van.

“So you guys hear about that crazy alien monster floating up there?” The cab driver said, trying to make conversation. Harmony glanced at Kadaj and saw his eyes narrow dangerously. “What am I saying, you HAVE to know about it. And the psychopaths that were caught on the beach escaped from jail-” 

“Your job is to drive. Not talk.” Harmony cut the man off. She felt guilty about being rude to him, but it was for his own good.

 

Two hours later, they were packing the coolers, clothes, and spare bedding into the back of Harmony’s Ford Econo Club E-350.

“This looks kinda like a Shadowfox.” Barrett said as he lifted one of the heavy coolers full of food into the storage compartment in the back of the van.

“What’s a Shadowfox?” Harmony asked, passing him some more blankets to pack.

“Jes’ a big truck. Only difference is there are actually seats in the back instead of storage space. And yours doesn’t hover.” Harmony’s eyes widened.

“Hover? Aw! I wanna go with you guys!” She whined.

“How many seats are there?” Vincent asked from behind her.

She turned to look at him while still holding travel bags for Barrett or Cid to take. “Fifteen. Like I said, it’ll be crowded, but it’ll have to do.”

“You live alone… why do you need a vehicle so big?” Tseng asked her.

“I am the one in charge of providing transportation for the rest of the coven when we go to the cabin, or out for over-night ceremonies.” She answered.

 

With all of the men doing what they could to help pack, it didn’t take long before the group was ready to leave. Hojo was forced to sit in the middle of the front seat, between Harmony and Kadaj.

“Okay boys, lets hit the road. It’ll take about twelve hours to get there, depending on how many times we stop. If I get pulled over, scatter. Got it?” Harmony said.

“Got it.” Came the chorus of agreement.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Kadaj stared at the dark forest flashing be around them. They had been driving for eleven hours straight, only stopping for gas and bathroom breaks, before turning off of the pavement and making their way through a dense forest road. He sat next to Harmony after Hojo had been forced to the very back of the van, squished between the massive Barrett, and the rather impressive built of Angeal. All were asleep, it sounded like. Although he knew that a few were not really sleeping. Loz sat in the row right behind them, leaning against the window. His eyes were closed, but Kadaj knew that he wasn’t asleep. Yazoo was in the front seat resting his elbow against the door and his head in his hand. His eyes were also closed, but he too, was indeed awake.

Kadaj couldn’t be sure, but he was willing to bet the Souba that Vincent and Genesis (seated next to Loz) were awake, too. His attention was stolen when Harmony let out a yawn.

“You’re tired. Let someone else drive for a while.” Kadaj whispered.

“I’m fine. We’ll be there in less than an hour anyway.” Harmony said, stifling another yawn.

“And in that hour, you could fall asleep and kill us all.” Kadaj argued.

“You don’t know how to get there.” She said.

“So take a minute and give me directions. You don’t HAVE to sleep, just let me drive so that if you DO, we won’t wreck your car.”

“Do you even know how to drive?” She asked.

“Well…I ride a motorcycle.”

“Can. You. Drive.”

Kadaj huffed. “It can’t be THAT hard!”

“Well you’re not finding out right now!”

“I can drive.” Yazoo cut in quietly, confirming that he was awake. “Just try to stay awake and give me directions.”

Harmony thought about it for a moment, before another yawn forced her to give in. “Okay. But if anything happens to my car, you’re gonna spend the rest of your life without fingers.”

“Chilling.” Genesis said from behind them, proving Kadaj’s suspicion that there were a few of them still awake.

Harmony smirked tiredly and drove slowly until she found a spot to pull over. Yazoo got out of the car and walked to the other side. As Harmony was opening her door to get out and walk around the van, Kadaj stopped her.

“Just slide into the middle.” He said.

Yazoo refusing to budge by the door seemed to second his brother’s suggestion.

“Great, sandwiched between the psychos. This is awesome.” Harmony said, rolling her eyes.

“You didn’t seem to have an issue with their mental stability last night in your bathroom.” Vincent pointed out.

Harmony gasped. “No one asked you, Darkness!” she choked out.

She glared over her shoulder at him. Vincent just lifted his shoulders in a shrug. Genesis was grinning at her, and even Loz pulled away from the window long enough to grace her with a lewd wink.

“Oh that is NOT to be discussed!” she said.

“The more flustered you get, the more you prove him right, and the more they’ll want to talk about it.” Yazoo said, slowly pulling back onto the road.

Harmony glared at the men behind her once more, and then turned back around. “Keep going along this road until you get to the top of the hill. You can go left, or straight and down the other side. Go straight, and if I fall asleep, wake me up when we get to an old abandoned farmhouse. I’ll tell you where to go from there.” She said, effectively ignoring the men behind her.

After a few minutes in silence, Kadaj leaned forward and turned the van’s CD player on, turning the volume down low enough not to wake those sleeping, but loud enough that his whisper could not be heard by those in the back seats.

“Did it bother you, then?” Kadaj leaned in and whispered to Harmony.

“What?” she said, feigning innocence.

Kadaj decided to be blunt and leave no room for misinterpretation. “When I kissed you. Did it bother you?”

Harmony flushed and turned her head away, which she soon wished she hadn’t as she found herself staring into the shocked eyes of Yazoo.

“Watch the road!” she grumbled. Yazoo snapped his jaw closed and quickly turned his gaze back to the road ahead of them.

“Well?” Kadaj asked again.

“No.” Harmony said, not looking at him.

“No?” He said, smirking evilly. “No what?”

“No it didn’t bother me!” Harmony hissed.

“What didn’t bother-OW!” Kadaj said when Yazoo reached across Harmony and smacked his younger brother on the back of the head.

“Stop it.” Yazoo said quietly.

“You wouldn’t have dared to do that a few days ago!” Kadaj mumbled, obviously upset by the lack of control he seemed to have over his brother.

“I dare now.” Yazoo said. “We’re coming up on the barn. Where do I go?”

“Through it.” Harmony said, smiling.

Both men looked at her like she was crazy.

“It’s a glamour. It hides the real path. Drive through it.” she clarified. Yazoo did as he was told, gritting his teeth and narrowing his eyes just as the van would have hit the barn.

They passed right through it. When Yazoo and Kadaj looked behind them, all they saw was the road, and the shocked faces of the other conscious passengers.

“We’re almost there.” Harmony said. “The cabin is exactly two miles from the barn.”

 

Ten minutes later, Yazoo slowly stopped the vehicle outside a very large, very old, very CREEPY log cabin. 

“Its huge!” Loz said.

“Coven meetings are held here, along with meetings between multiple covens. We have to have room for them to sleep. There are eight rooms. We’ll have to share.” Harmony said. “We’ll figure that out when we get the stuff inside. Hey Cid?”

The pilot looked at her as he got out of the van.

“There’s a circuit box out back, think you can find it and get us some power?” Harmony asked. The pilot nodded and headed behind the large cabin.

 

They quickly toted coolers and bags into the cabin, all pausing to appreciate its size. There was a round dome in the center of the room, dropping down from the ceiling. It covered a fire pit, and gave the smoke a direct outlet through the roof of the cabin. There was a large couch and four smaller couches around it. Off to the right, there was a large empty space, only a rug on the floor. Just inside the door to the right was what looked like a small kitchen, and a coat closet on the left.

“You are each in charge of your own beds. Grab bed sheets and a blanket and get it done.” Harmony said.

“Where?” Reno asked.

Harmony sighed and mouthed something to herself as she counted out people in her head. “Okay, Angeal and Zack, you take this room.” She ushered them into one of the rooms. “Genesis and Sephiroth.” and so it went as she assigned the bedrooms.

“Reno and Rude. Tseng and Rufus. Cid and Barrett. Loz and Kadaj, I want you to room with Hojo: Keep him in check. Vincent and Cloud.” She paused a moment, going through the list again. “And I guess that means you room with me, Yazoo.”

The men went to their rooms, no one but Yazoo and Loz noticing the icy glare their youngest brother directed at the middle sibling and the woman he followed.

After readying her bed and helping Yazoo with his, Harmony made her way to the kitchen and began putting their food away. She finished quickly, leaving out only what she needed to prepare a quick meal before sitting down to look through her book.


	8. The History of a Warrior

Chapter 8

As she washed her hands to begin cutting the meat and vegetables, Yazoo made his presence known behind her.

“Hello,” she greeted. “Did you need something?”

“Why didn’t you room with Kadaj? Loz and I can watch Hojo just as effectively. You said it didn’t bother you when he kissed you.” Yazoo said quietly, washing his hands as well and taking another knife from the block. He began cutting the vegetables as Harmony sliced the block of bacon.

“That’s exactly why I shouldn’t room with him.” Harmony stated, not looking up from her chore. “It didn’t bother me. It just isn’t a good idea.”

Yazoo nodded his understanding, but pressed on, needing to know what she was really thinking. He gripped her shoulder and forced her to turn, stepping close and trapping her between the counter and his own, lithe form, and leaning into the crook of her neck.

“And me? You are not worried that I would try the same? That I would take what I want from you: a beautiful woman sleeping naught but three feet from me? Does that not concern you even a little?” He whispered huskily, his hot breath rushing past her ear. He wasn’t really interested, Kadaj had claimed that territory and Yazoo was not one to over-step the boundaries. But still, he needed to make sure she wouldn’t just play with his little brother’s already unstable emotions.

“Should it?” Harmony asked, her voice strong. She had to admit, the female part of her mind was a stuttering mess at having this beautiful male press against her so invitingly, but the logical part somehow knew that this was a test of his. Plus, though Yazoo seemed to be a decent man, if not misguided and confused, she was just not that interested in him.

Yazoo stared at her for a moment, before giving a soft smile and stepping away. “No.” He said, turning back to the vegetables. “You shouldn’t be concerned.”

Harmony smiled also and turned back to slicing the meat. “Did I pass your test, then?” She asked conversationally.

Yazoo slid a sideways glance her way, impressed that she had read him so easily. “Yes.” He answered simply. The two sliced and chopped in silence for a few minutes before Harmony spoke again.

“So tell me about you three. Where did you come from? How did you grow up?” She said.

Yazoo froze. He had never talked about himself to anyone other than his brothers about his life before Jenova.

Harmony noticed his reluctance. “I’m sorry.” she said quickly, “I didn’t want to upset you. I was just curious. You don’t have to answer.”

He sighed. “No, its alright. I’m just not used to people wanting to know me. Most run away screaming.”

Harmony chuckled. “I can understand that. You’re very intimidating.”

Yazoo smiled and decided to answer her questions. “Well, I can’t speak for Loz and Kadaj, it isn’t my place to tell their story, but if you really want to know, I will tell you mine.”

Harmony smiled. “Yes, please… Wait, you‘re not really related?”

“No, not biologically. Other than the tests run on us and the Mako and Jenova cells we harbor, there is nothing relating us by blood. Would you like to hear this or not?” He smirked.

“Yes. Sorry. I won’t interrupt again.” Harmony assured him.

“Okay then. I was born in Mideel- that’s a place in our world. I never knew my mother, my father said she left when I was still young. Couldn’t handle the stress of motherhood, or something like that. Don’t worry, I’m okay with it.” He added when he saw the look of sympathy from Harmony. “When I was seven, I remember going to a Martial Arts Faire with my uncle and cousins. I loved what I saw. I knew when I watched the grace and power of those sparring that I wanted to do it to, so my father put me in classes.”

Harmony was impressed. He had trained since he was seven? “How old are you?” she asked, forgetting her promise not to interrupt.

He smiled, already knowing her train of thought. “Twenty-seven. I’ve got twenty years of experience under my belt. Perhaps you’d like to spar with me.” he lifted his eyebrows and widened his eyes, letting the whites show.

Harmony wasn’t impressed. “Bring it.” she challenged.

“Time and place, darling, and I would be happy to oblige.” Yazoo smirked.

“Tomorrow morning, outside. There’s a big, open meadow not far from here.”

“You’re on. Shall I continue?”

Harmony nodded and placed the bacon strips in the pan.

“Alright. So I started training when I was seven, and by the time I was eighteen, I was teaching at a dojo along with my old masters. Sephiroth was still considered a hero back then, and the War was only beginning in Wutai. ShinRa sent out a request for all those who were able to report to Midgar if they were interested in joining the fight. I was young and foolish, and wanted to use my talents to further my career. I thought that maybe I could be a great as Sephiroth one day.

“When they took me in to have Hojo perform my physical exam, he found an anomaly in my blood. They have since discovered that anyone who has lived in Mideel for a long period of time has more Mako in their blood than the members of SOLDIER, due to the fact that the lifestream flows so close to the surface under the town. However, at the time, no one knew that, so Hojo convinced the president to let him ‘keep’ me. I spent seven years in a lab where Hojo did all sorts of unspeakable things to me. I don’t even know everything that he did. A few months after I met Kadaj and Loz, and knew he had been… violating them, too, I orchestrated an escape plan. We didn’t get very far. We were beaten nearly to death and then separated. When Sephiroth returned and took the remains of Jenova, Hojo released all of the Remnants-that’s what they call us: Remnants-he wanted to test another scientific theory. Of course by then he’d lost his mind.

“I met up with Kadaj and Loz in the Northern Cave shortly before Sephiroth was killed. We were all so weak from travel and Mako withdrawal that we couldn’t follow the others to Sephiroth. When he was defeated, and the lifestream burst from the planet, the raw Mako we were exposed to gave us the strength we needed to get out of the crater. We spent the next two years recovering our strength, and then Kadaj started hearing Mother’s voice. She became our mother. Gave us the warmth and strength we needed to be free, to be whole. We wanted to help her, like the good little sons we were. Would have done anything to make her happy. It wasn’t until we came here, and Valentine told us what she really is, where she really came from, that I realized it. If Jenova was right in what she was after, why was the entire planet against her? Surely if she was within her rights, there would be some that side with us?” He looked at Harmony.

She didn’t know what to say to him. After hearing about the suffering he went through, she felt a strange, but powerful need to protect him. ‘Heh, as if he needs my protection.’ she thought to herself. She noticed him staring at her.

“I can’t agree or disagree with you, Yazoo. All you can do is follow what your heart tells you to follow. It isn’t my right to decide who is right and wrong in all of this. I know that according to what I was taught, and what has been taught since the dawn of time: If it hurts people, it is wrong. I know in my heart that this is true. But the only way, the only time we will every truly know who was right and who was wrong, is when we face our maker in the end. When we stand before the Almighty Creator and She tells us her plan, and passes her punishment-or gifts her reward.”

Yazoo held her gaze for a moment before nodding and giving a soft smile. “You always seem to know what to say to help us, Harmony. Thank you.”

Harmony blushed. “Its alright. Now get those vegetables in the pan, or the meat will be too done and it will taste awful!”

He smiled and did as she asked, happy to finally, after so many long, painful years, have a companion. A friend, dare he say. And one that was not brought to him for the sake of a vengeful alliance.

 

After the meal was served, they all gathered in the living area. Harmony sat on a pillow by the fireplace, her book on her lap. The others were scattered on the different couches and pillows around the room.

Most were quiet, some reading the fictional books that Harmony had allowed them to borrow, others cleaning their various weapons. Vincent, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz sat closest to Harmony, Loz poking at the fire in the pit. Yazoo had borrowed Vincent’s gun-cleaning kit -Vincent having hesitantly nodded his consent- and the two were sitting together, oiling and polishing in silence. 

Kadaj stared at Harmony. He had over-heard…alright, eavesdropped…on the conversation she had with Yazoo. While understanding why she didn’t want to share a room with him, for fear that something may happen between them…he couldn’t understand why she didn’t want anything to happen.

So quiet was it that everyone, even Sephiroth, startled slightly when Harmony made a frustrated sound and slammed her book closed.

“What’s wrong?” Barrett asked.

“This book! This world! I can find all of the information stating why you were sent here, and how you got here, and I knew that already! But I can’t find anything on how to send you back. It seems that I was right though. Those of you that died in your own world were given the chance to come here, and learn from your fatal mistakes. 

“When-…If… I can send you back, You’ll return with your memories of this place, and of before, but you’ll also have new memories. It will be as if the tragedy never happened. 

“For example. Vincent, if Hojo learns his lesson here, he may never experiment on you. He may never have injected Lucrecia with the cells. Sephiroth may have been born, but he would be born normal. This is crucial. If this happens, no matter how badly it hurts you, you must let her be with Hojo, or Sephiroth would cease to exist. You would be an old man by now. You wouldn’t have any of the demons you do now, you wouldn’t be immortal, and the war with Jenova wouldn’t have happened. Everybody understand what I’m saying? SOLDIER may still exist, and the members may still have Mako treatments, but the experimentation wouldn’t. Yazoo, you would be as you were before. But you all would still remember the alternate timeline.”

“That is so confusing.” Zack said, holding his head.

“Only for you, Pup.” Genesis taunted.

“No, not just him.” Reno said. Barrett and Cid agreed.

“I have a question.” Cloud said, turning the attention to him.

Harmony nodded to let him know she was listening.

“Would Aerith still be alive?”


	9. Training

Chapter 9

A hush fell over the group. Sephiroth let a pained look slip over his features for a split second when he saw Cloud and Zack‘s hopeful faces, and then his mask of indifference was in place.

“Well, think about it. If Hojo never killed Gast, Ifalna and Aerith wouldn’t have been captured. If Hojo never experimented on Lucrecia, Sephiroth would not have had Jenova to drive him to insanity. Aerith would probably still live with her biological mother and father, and possibly have more siblings. She might be alive, but she wouldn’t know you. You would remember her. But for her, it would be as if you never existed. For other’s you have met as well. Those that aren’t here, anyway.”

“There are still flaws. Cid, they never would have taken that journey to Rocket Town, and most likely never would have met you. You would remember them, and they you, but in the timeline, you wouldn’t have met. You see? This is why this situation is so delicate. One wrong move, one wrong word, and the timeline could be changed for the better…or the worst. 

“You have to decide what you want. Do you want to keep trying to understand yourselves and what you need to change, so that if you are sent back, the timeline changes? Or do you want to leave things as they are? Those alive here would still be given the chance at life there, but people would not trust them. Everyone would remember the pain they caused. It would be a hard life for a long while. If Hojo dies here, nothing will change, I think. It would be as it was when Vincent shot him on top of the ShinRa tower. I believe that this whole situation-the salvation of your world-hinges on one man. If Hojo is stopped, I believe that the change will effect your world in ways that none of us can even imagine.”

“Okay, stop.” Tseng said, noticing the looks of confusion and frustration on all of the faces. “Its late. We’re all tired from the journey. Let’s rest and discuss this in the morning, when we are all refreshed and better equipped to understand this timeline you speak of.”

“I agree.” said Vincent. There was a chorus of affirmation and it was decided that a little sleep was a good idea.

 

“Goodnight, Yazoo. Thank you for telling me your story.” Harmony said as Yazoo entered the bedroom after giving her time to change in privacy.

“Goodnight, Harmony. And you’re welcome.”

“Please, Yazoo. Call me Hari. My friends do.”

Friend. Her friend. His friend. He smiled. “Alright. Goodnight, Hari.”

 

{The Next Morning}

“Harmony, this is not a good idea! This is not like sparring a regular SOLDIER! He’s a Remnant! He could hurt you!” Vincent argued as the group made their way to the field where Harmony and Yazoo were to spar. 

The others had brought there weapons as well, as Harmony had assured everyone that there would be no one around to hear gunfire, or the sounds of metal clashing against metal. They were delighted, as they all had missed sparring. Zack particularly was excited to spar with Cloud now that the man was as strong as he was.

“Relax, Darkness. I’ll be fine. I know what I can handle. Its not like we’re fighting to the death. If it makes you feel any better, we can have a safe word. If either of us say it, the other is to stop attacking. How’s that sound, Yazoo?” Harmony turned to him. He smirked.

“Works for me.” he said.

She group reached the clearing, sounds of awe leaving the men’s mouths as they saw the sheer size of it. There would be plenty of room to train and spar. For everyone. All at once if they wanted.

“Alright, Yazoo.” Harmony said, taking her place a fair distance away from the group. “Same rules apply as they did with Zack. No weapons at first. And those better be blanks in your gun.”

Vincent came forward and dropped a handful of shells in Yazoo’s hand. “Those are blanks. I use them when I spar with Yuffie.”

Yazoo looked at Vincent, willing to try to be friendly as long as he was. “Thank you.” he said. He turned back to Harmony. “What’s the safe word?”

She tapped her chin in thought. “How about just ‘Time Out’?”

Yazoo nodded, and then rushed her.

Harmony was caught off-guard, expecting Yazoo to say ‘Go!’ or something, but she still managed to dodge his attack.

Yazoo smirked at her when she jumped back and fell into her stance. He rushed her again, throwing a barrage of strikes aimed for her chest and throat. She dodged most of them, but let out a soft grunt when one strike connected at her collar-bone.

It was her turn to strike. The other’s cheered for the one they supported as she threw her punches, Yazoo gracefully avoiding or blocking each blow. She swung around and managed to land a well-timed kick to the side of his face and he stepped back, shaking his head before shooting his leg out and connecting with her stomach. She flew back and landed in a heap in the grass.

“Oof!” she grunted. She smiled as she rose to her feet. This was actually kind of fun. As she dusted herself off, she heard the ‘click’ of a gun being loaded and cocked, and flattened herself to the ground just in time to avoid a blank that would have hit her square in the chest. As she rolled to her feet, she slipped her fans out of her sleeves, flinging them open. 

More shots were fired and she flung them away with precision, each blank ricocheting off of the metal connectors. With every block, she stepped closer to her target, until she was able to strike out, attempting to knock the gun from Yazoo’s hand.

He blocked her, of course, using the gun as a shield before thrusting out to slam the weapon into her face. 

What happened next was a blur of movement that Harmony could barely keep up with. It was all she could do to block his attacks, let alone strike at him at all.

She finally noticed an opening. When he attacked her, he left his right side unprotected, and after a few more blocks she struck, sliding a fan closed to tap his side with the blow that would determine her the winner.

He was expecting that. He had left that opening intentionally, and when she struck out, he used his free hand to grip her arm and twist, twirling around behind her and slamming his boot into the back of her knee, effectively knocking her to her knees. When they finally came to a stop, Yazoo was on his knees behind her with her arm twisted behind her back, and his gun pressed to the underside of her chin.

“Click…bang.” Yazoo whispered into her ear, his tone smug.

Harmony laughed. “Damn, you’re fast!” she panted. Yazoo moved his gun and stood up, offering his hand and pulling her to her feet.

“You’re very good, though it seems you’re a bit rusty. Your attacks were hesitant, as if you were trying to remember how to execute them.” He said, using the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow before holstering his gun.

“Well, I’ve done katas at home, but as I’m sure you know, it isn’t the same as meeting resistance, or actually being forced to think on your feet.” She answered. “And I have had no one else. No one at the gym will fight me anymore.”

“Well I’ll help you.” Yazoo offered. “I’ll clean up what you already know, and teach you some things that you don’t. That is, if you’re willing.”

Harmony’s smile was almost brighter than the sun. “Really?! That would be wonderful, Yazoo! Thank you!”

Yazoo smiled. It was strange. He’d been smiling a lot lately. And not the ‘Haha-I’m-going-to-tear-out-your-heart-and-eat-it’ kind of smiles. Real smiles. Happy smiles. 

“That was great, Harmony!” Loz said, rushing to her in a flash of blue as they neared the group.

“Wow. Now that was fast!” She said. He grinned. “You’re next.” She added. “…After I get some water.” she giggled.

“I’ll fight you, Loz.” Yazoo said. “I’m still good to fight.” He smirked at Harmony. “Mako and Jenova cells.” he said to her. She rolled her eyes. 

“Show-off.”


	10. A Traumatic Experience

Chapter 10

Harmony relaxed in a lawn chair off to the side of the field. Cloud and Zack were sparring in a far corner, each holding his own pretty well, it seemed. Angeal and Sephiroth were sparring not far from them, both having been told that they were not, in any way, to harm the training grounds. Kadaj was fighting Vincent, deflecting blanks left and right and dodging blows from the lethal looking gauntlet the older man wore. Cid and Genesis were paired as well, Cid throwing taunting curses at the man. Genesis had asked Cid to allow teach him to use the spear, and Cid was obviously amazed and frustrated when he picked it up almost instantly. Rude and Tseng not far from that. Barrett was further down the field, shooting at paper plates that Harmony had painted like targets, as was Rufus. Reno and Hojo were the only others that remained in what they deemed ‘The Rest Area’.

Hojo was reading one of the few non-fiction books that Harmony allowed him to borrow. It was on the Holocaust.

“This is very disconcerting.” He said, more to himself than anyone else. “Your Hitler was a genius, yet he did nothing to further his armies. Nothing to better their combat.”

“So much death, millions of people killed in that war out of nothing but pure hate and prejudice, and you find the so-called inadequacies of his army to be the only thing disconcerting?” Harmony asked. She shook her head. “You’re hopeless. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with you.”

“You have many of these books on this era. Why is that?” Hojo asked, not looking up form his reading.

“My mother’s side of the family is Romanian. There were over two-hundred-seventy-thousand Romani killed in the Holocaust. My ancestors were among them. They were Gypsies.”

Hojo made a strange sound in his throat, and promptly began ignoring her.

“I’d ask your story, but I already know.” Reno said, turning her attention to him. He lounged against a log on the ground, plucking at the grass. “Angeal told us. Hope that’s alright.” He said.

“Yes, I told him he could tell you. You have a right to know what kind of nut-case you’re staying with.” She smirked.

“I can sympathize with you, coming from an abusive family. My dad was a drinker. He’d drink himself half-blind and then sober up by beating on me and Ma’. Long as I can remember. Ma’ finally left him when I was fourteen.” He started.

Harmony looked at him, shocked that he was sharing this with her, and that he had started the conversation.

He nodded and continued. “She moved us to Midgar, thinking that it would be better for us there. Dad couldn’t find us, and there was plenty of work. We were still pretty poor, though.” He looked out across the field, losing himself in memory, it seemed. Harmony was able to admire the glow of his green eyes and the shimmer of the sun off of his unusual red hair. He shook his head, took a breath, and continued.

“I got into trouble a lot. Drinking, using any drug I could get my hands on, stealing, fighting. Ma’ just didn’t know what to do with me. Finally one day, I got caught. I broke into the house of some bigwig, gonna steal him blind and sell his stuff. Turns out that bigwig was Tseng.” Harmony gasped and looked down the field where Tseng was sparring with Rude.

Reno chuckled. “Yeah, he beat the hell out of me. Tied me up and made me tell him who I was, where I came from, and why I broke into his house. He thought I was an assassin sent to kill him. When I asked why he would think that, he told me he was a TURK. Then he told me I was going to be one, too. He really straightened me out. Even though he’s only a few years older than me, I kind of see him as a dad. Don’t tell him I said that!” Reno said, shooting his gaze to her.

She closed her mouth and turned her fingers in front of it like she was turning a key. “Not a word.” she promised.

Reno nodded, satisfied, and continued. “So yeah. That was how it went down. How I became a TURK. I lived with Ma’ until I was eighteen, and went to ShinRa every day for classes and training. Graduated third in my class in Academics, and first in Combat. Moved out, got my own place. Ma’ was pretty proud. Tseng found out she was having a hard time and moved her to a nicer place downtown, closer to where she worked, and closer to me. She died not long after I officially became a TURK.”

“I’m sorry.” Harmony offered, laying her hand on his arm.

“Nah, its alright. She was happy, finally. Finally…after everything we went through, after working so hard. She was tired, and it was time to rest, I guess.” He seemed to be at peace with it, so Harmony didn’t push. 

“Well, thank you, Reno. For sharing that with me.” She said.

“Yeah, well, it was only fair.” He smiled. They looked up when they heard Rude’s frustrated exclamation and saw the big man hit the dirt, Tseng standing over him with his pistol pointed in his face. Tseng stepped back and let Rude up. He patted Rude’s shoulder and then shrugged his own shoulders, walking in a circle and loosening his muscles a bit.

Reno grinned widely. “Gotta run, nice talking to ya, Harmony.” he said, standing up. “Yo! Boss!” He called to Tseng, jogging over. “Got any more fight in ya? How ‘bout a round?”

Tseng smiled softly and nodded his head, holstering his gun and taking out his stun-rod as Reno began tauntingly dancing around him.

 

Harmony smiled and shook her head at Reno’s antics.

“Harmony!” Came the shout of her name. She looked around to find Vincent, Rufus, and Kadaj making their way to her.

“How can I help ya?” she asked from her seat in the shade.

“You any good with a gun?” Kadaj asked. The other two looked very interested in her answer.

“I’m alright, but there’s definitely room for improvement.” She answered, tilting her head to the side like a curious puppy. “Why do you ask?”

“We know that Yazoo offered to help train you and perfect your martial arts skills, and I wondered if you were any good with a gun, and if not, if you would like to learn.” Rufus answered.

“Well, sure. I would be willing to perfect it. I know I need a lot of work. I used to be a pretty good shot, but I don’t know about now. And I know next to nothing about maintenance. Who would be doing the teaching?” She said.

“Myself and Yazoo, mostly. Tseng has offered to help as well.” Vincent said.

Harmony was impressed. And excited. “Great! When do you want to start?”

The rumbling of her stomach interrupted them.

“How about after lunch?” Rufus chuckled.

“Yeah, lunch sounds good. How ‘bout you guys keep doing what you’re doing, and I’ll head back to the cabin real quick and grab some stuff for sandwiches?” Harmony said.

“That would be acceptable.” Vincent nodded, sounding interested.

“I’ll go with you.” Kadaj offered.

Harmony hesitated. “Okay.” She agreed. “Nobody leave the clearing, if a stranger comes across this place, just hide. Don’t bother them. I’ll chase them off, this is private property.” She instructed Rufus and Vincent.

“Yes Ma’am.” Rufus said, seating himself in the lawn chair. It was still difficult for him to stand for long periods of time, even though the geostigma was non-existent in this world.

“And don’t call me ‘Ma’am’. it makes me feel old.” With that, she turned and made her way into the forest, both she and Kadaj disappearing into the trees.

“Should I send someone to make sure he doesn’t try anything?” Rufus asked Vincent in a hushed tone.

Vincent shook his head. “After what Cid and I witnessed the other day, I think she’s safe enough.”

 

“So what were you and the TURK talking about?” Kadaj asked. He was balancing himself and walking along a small branch that ran next to Harmony. She smiled at how innocent and childlike he looked, knowing that it was far from the truth.

“He was just telling me about himself. How he grew up and such.” Harmony answered. She desperately wanted to ask about Kadaj, but didn’t want to offend him. As calm and tame as he was acting, she knew that he was able of becoming very angry, very quickly. She trusted him, but she didn’t want to push him.

“I see. You did pretty well against Yazoo. I’ve seen very few people last as long as you did. I think he was impressed. I heard he offered to train you?” Kadaj hopped down and came to walk beside her.

“Yeah. I’m a little rusty. I usually do my katas every morning, and practice with my fans, but I need to work on my swordplay, and I‘m a bit on the slow side.”

Kadaj nodded, trying his very best not to be intimidating. He wanted to find out why she was against anything happening between them, and he knew she wouldn’t talk to him if she was afraid of him. “I could help you with your swordplay.” He offered, hoping that she couldn’t tell how unused he was to offering to actually help someone.

She smiled brilliantly at him. “Thank you, Kadaj. That would be great.”

They came to the cabin quickly, and Harmony went to the kitchen to gather food, instructing Kadaj to grab three of the wicker baskets from the coat closet by the door. He did so and she packed them with bottled water, tea and lemonade packets, bread, meats, cheese, and other sandwich condiments. As a side-thought, she grabbed a roll of paper towels and extra plates before tying the baskets closed.

Kadaj carried two of the baskets, and Harmony carried one as they left the cabin and headed back to their ‘training grounds’.

“Can I ask you a question?” Kadaj asked, still feeling silly after going so long giving orders, never asking for anything, throwing politics and manners aside.

Harmony glanced at him. “Sure.” she said.

“Why are you so against anything happening between us? I know you’re attracted to me.”

Harmony froze, shocked, and almost dropped the basket of food she was carrying. She scrambled and righted the basket. “I, uh…” She swallowed and tried again. “I just think it’s a bad idea.”

“Why? What are you afraid of?” Kadaj asked.

“Becoming…attached.” Harmony whispered. “You might just be able to go back to your world. And I’ll be all emotionally attached, and it’ll hurt.”

Kadaj stared at her. “Is that it? What if there isn’t attachment? What if its just a man and a woman releasing some tension?”

“It doesn’t work that way, Kadaj. I just…I don’t think it’s a good idea.” She sighed. Kadaj huffed and dropped the baskets he was carrying. He wrenched hers from her hands and plopped it on the ground as well before grabbing her arm and yanking her to him.

“I think you’re fighting yourself.” He said, matter-of-factly. “I know that you want me.” he lowered his face to hers, trying to connect their lips. She turned her head away, but her breath had quickened, and she shivered slightly.

“I can feel you shiver, I can hear your breath and your heartbeat when I get close to you. When I touch you.” He ran his hand softly down the side of her face, and along her neck, continuing down her back and to her waist. Her breath caught in her throat.

“Why are you doing this to me?” she whispered, her face still turned away from him.

“Because you want me to.” With that, Kadaj cupped her chin and forced their lips together.

She tried to resist, really she did…but his lips worked against hers in such a way that it made her breathless. Slowly, she kissed back, molding her lips to his almost nervously. His hand left her face and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him and pulling her up higher. He almost bent her backwards, he held her so tightly. 

Harmony pulled away and gasped as her breasts were crushed to Kadaj’s chest, placing her hands on his shoulders and trying desperately not to arch into the pressure. Kadaj allowed her to pull away from his mouth, and took the opportunity to put his lips to her neck, mouthing not-quite-kisses along her throat and up to her ear.

“See?” He whispered huskily, “I can tell you want me. You can’t even lie to yourself. How do you expect to lie to me?” He nibbled on her ear.

“Please, Kadaj…” She whimpered, wanting him to pull away and give her time to think again.

“No.” He said. He crushed his lips to hers again, this time slipping his tongue into her mouth and brushing it against hers. She snaked her arms around his shoulders and moaned into his mouth and the sound went straight to his groin. He slipped his hand down her back and gripped a handful of her behind, squeezing and pressing her against his pelvis. 

 

Harmony was caught in the battle of her life. What he was doing to her was so amazing, her body responded in a way that she had never experienced before. When his tongue brushed against hers her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she moaned, holding him close to her.

Then, he grasped her butt and pulled against him and she could feel the beginnings of his arousal. Instantly, she felt herself being pressed to a hard mattress. Felt rough hands tearing her clothes from her and forcing her down, holding her by the throat. She could feel the slimy tongue that traveled down her torso and cruel hands harshly kneaded her breasts.

 

Kadaj was oblivious to the demons in Harmony’s mind as he raised his hand and brought it down hard on her backside.

 

Harmony felt the rough slap and with that her memories over-rode where she was, and who she was with. She tore her mouth from his and a strangled whimper escaped her mouth before she started fighting.

“Stop!” She cried softly. “No, stop it! Get off me! No!” she struggled in his grip.

Kadaj released her as she struggled, confused as to what he had done wrong when not a moment before, she seemed to be truly enjoying herself. Then he saw the wild look in her eye, the same one he saw the night she would have killed Hojo.

“Harmony?” he said, taking a tentative step toward her.

“Stay back!” she said, “I mean it Jade! Get away!”

‘Oh, shit…’ he thought. She was caught in the memory of her rape. ‘Idiot!’ he admonished himself. He stepped forward again.

“GET AWAY!” She shouted at him, swinging a fist at his head. He dodged it and tried to grasp her arms.

“Harmony! Harmony, stop! It’s me! Its Kadaj! I’m sorry! I’m sorry…” he said, pulling her against him and hugging her tightly.

Her breath slowed to uneven sobs. “Kadaj?” she asked weakly.

“Shhh. Its okay. I’m sorry…I didn’t think that you would take it that way.” He gently lowered her to sit on the ground as her shaky legs could not support her.

“N-no…Its okay…its just…You’re the first person that I’ve kissed since it happened.” She said, looking at her hands and trying to calm herself. She hoped she hadn’t upset him. He was just starting to learn to be nice.

“Do you want to go back to the cabin? I’ll tell the others that you’re not feeling well.” Kadaj offered, wondering what exactly he was feeling. ‘Is this what remorse feels like? I can’t remember…’ he thought.

“No.” she said. “I need to fight. I need to do something to get rid of that memory.” she said, standing on shaky legs and bending to pick up her basket.

Kadaj nodded, silent, and picked up both of his baskets and followed her down the trail.


	11. Midnight Encounters

Chapter 11

“Lunch!” Harmony called when they entered the meadow.

The men that were fighting stopped their attacks and made their way to the two that had just entered the meadow.

“Turkey, ham, and salami, and swiss, cheddar, and pepper jack. There’s bottles of water. You can drink just the water, or dump one of these packets in it.” She showed them how to make the lemonade or tea. They ate in companionable silence, Reno or Zack occasionally cracking a joke at another’s expense. When they finished eating, they spent some time discussing the timeline paradox that Harmony had mentioned the night before. By the time Harmony finished, most of the men understood the choice that they had to make.

All but one. Hojo. Somehow, Harmony feared that it would come to his death before it was over. As evil as he was, she still believed he deserved the chance to redeem himself.

 

“Harmony!” Loz called as she finished repacking the baskets.

“Yeah?” she asked, not looking up.

He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away from the finished basket. “You. Me. Hand to hand. Now.” he said with a smile on his face, pushing her further into the clearing.

Harmony laughed. “Okay, you’re on!”

Yazoo, Kadaj, Vincent, Angeal, Sephiroth, and Genesis gathered around as the others paired off to spar some more.

“Sephiroth.” Cloud called.

The General turned to the younger man. “Yes?”

“I’ve always wondered what it would be like to fight you without Jenova’s influence. Care to indulge me?” He walked over, stopping right in front of Sephiroth and slinging his gigantic sword over his shoulder. Sephiroth smirked and drew the Masamune, nodding to a clear spot in the meadow. 

“By all means, lead the way.”

 

“He’s fast, Harmony. Faster than I am.” Yazoo called to the woman who was preparing to fight his older brother. “Watch you back at all times.”

“Hey! No fair!” Loz whined. “I didn’t tell her how to fight you! Maybe I should tell her about your hair!”

Harmony raised her eyebrow and smirked at Yazoo. “I’ll remember that.” she crooned. Yazoo had the decency to look slightly concerned.

Loz was a bit more courteous than Yazoo. He spared Harmony one final glance before shouting “GO!” and zipping forward.

Harmony wasn’t fast enough to block the fist to the chest that sent her flying backwards to land in a heap a few feet away.

“Jesus!” she gasped. He was so fast! She didn’t even see him move! She came to her senses just in time to avoid his crushing boot as he slammed his foot down next to her head. She shot to her feet and threw a barrage of high kicks and low sweeps his way - Some connected, some did not. She noticed that while he was very fast, when she was this close to him, he relied more on brute strength than his speed. She moved in closer, giving him less room to gather momentum behind his fierce punches.

“Good, Harmony!” Yazoo called. It seemed he chose this time to begin training her.

While she was this close to him, Loz couldn’t use his supernatural speed, but Harmony could use her own natural speed. She was doing well for herself, beating him back…until she misjudged a strike and he was able to grab her arm. It then became a dance of submission techniques. Loz was very strong, but Harmony was very flexible. She was able to wrestle and wriggle her way out of every hold he got her in. Finally, he grew frustrated and locked her in a chokehold, thinking she would give in. There was no way for her to wriggle out of that one.

Or so he thought.

After only a few seconds, Harmony turned her head slightly, braced her foot against the back of Loz’s knee, and pushed. Loz toppled to the ground with her on top of him. He rolled over to pin her, slipping a leg over his shoulder. She shocked and impressed everyone watching when she drew her leg back flat against her chest, her knee perfectly straight, and slid out from under him. 

‘Oh Sweet Leviathan, that was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen!’ Kadaj thought.

She swiftly flipped herself over and onto his back, hooking her arms through his elbows, setting a knee at his spine, and pulling back.

“Shit!” He cursed. “I give! I give!” 

Harmony laughed, out of breath, and released him. She patted him on the head as she stood up, offering her hand out help him, but he was already on his feet, rotating his shoulders with a surprised and pained look on his face.

“Damn, baby girl! That hurt! You have got to teach me that!”

Harmony smiled wickedly and looked around, zeroing in on her prey. Zack had just knocked Cid to the ground, and was crowing over his victory.

“Hey Zack!” she called.

“Yeah?” he called back.

“Can you come help me with something?”

He quickly made his way over to her. “Sure,” he said, “What can I-…Uh? -Hey!…WHOA!” before he even finished his sentence he was on his back on the ground, Harmony straddling him.

“Hey, Harmony, I know I’m hot but this is hardly the place!” He said. She pinched him.

“Just hush and hold still. I’m teaching.” she said, laughing. 

“Uh…okay?” Zack said. She flipped him over and pulled Loz closer. At this point, the whole group leaned in to get a better look.

“Right here,” she instructed Loz. “Feel how the spine starts to curve?” Loz nodded. “Just above, feel that little ridge?” Again, he nodded. “Push.”

Loz did as he was told, smirking when Zack started and made a small, pained sound. “Is it the same for everyone?” he asked.

“Yes.” Harmony answered.

Loz grinned widely, standing up and helping Zack to his feet, the younger man rubbing his back and glaring at Harmony.

Suddenly, Loz lunged at Kadaj. He pulled the man down, wrestling him around before employing his newly learned technique.

“Damn you Loz-AH! Get off me you aaAAAAssssshole!!” Kadaj cried, struggling.

“Stop struggling, Kadaj, it only makes it worse!” Harmony said, trying to hide the laughter in her voice. “Would you like me to show you how to get out of it?”

“Yessss!” Kadaj hissed, stilling his struggling.

“It hurts.” She warned. “A lot.”

“Just tell me or make him get off me!”

She leaned down and whispered in his ear, moving back just in time to avoid being crushed beneath the two as Kadaj forced one of his legs under him and rolled over onto his back, pinning Loz beneath him. He cursed at the pain that shot through his back. He then did as Harmony instructed and flipped himself head over heels backwards, ending with Loz’s arms crisscrossed in front of him, and Kadaj standing above him.

Kadaj scowled and kicked his brother in the head.

“Assface!” he snapped.

Loz sat up, rubbing his head, but laughing quietly. “I definitely have to remember that one.” he said.

Yazoo approached Harmony as the group disbanded to spar in twos.

“You did well with Loz. It seems like you understood the closer you were, the slower he had to attack.” He complimented.

“Yes.” She agreed. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

“You seemed to find Zack’s weakness quickly, too, when you fought him at you apartment.”

“Yeah.” she said. “Its what I’ve always been good at. Finding weaknesses. You’re a tough one though, cause you throw together so many different techniques its hard to tell which you favor.”

Yazoo smiled. “I would tell you, but now I want you to figure it out on your own. Are we allowed to come back here often?”

“The coven owns this land. You can come here whenever you want. Just stay away from random people hiking. Let me know and I’ll chase them off.”

Yazoo nodded and the two made their way back to the shaded rest area. Harmony lounged back in the lawn chair and Yazoo sat on the log next to it. The two surveyed the scene around them.

Sephiroth and Cloud were still locked in battle, Cloud’s face one of glee at finally being able to fight Sephiroth and not Jenova. The TURKS were all gathered at the makeshift shooting range, including Vincent. Genesis and Angeal were sparring, happy, it seemed, to have the chance to fight like they used to. Kadaj and Loz were caught in the ever-epic battle between oldest brother, and youngest brother - Kadaj intent to pay Loz back the pain that the older brother just inflicted upon him. Cid and Barrett were sparring also, Cid spinning his staff and Barrett trying not to waste too many blanks.

“He’s really good.” Harmony said, watching Kadaj wield his sword with expert precision. She then noticed the blades.

“Hey!” She said, “That looks just like my sword! Except the hilt is maroon, instead of blue!”

Yazoo raised an eyebrow. “It appears your style of swordplay would match his, then. He’ll be a good teacher.” He looked at the look of apprehension mixed with excitement in her eyes. “What happened between you two today?”

Harmony whirled around and gave him a shocked expression. “How did you know something happened?!”

He smiled. “Your reaction just now, and the way you looked at him. What happened?”

Harmony sighed. Of all of them, she felt comfortable talking to Yazoo. She decided to tell him, knowing that he would find out one way or another. “When we went to get lunch… we… well, we talked a bit. I’m sure you can guess what it was about. Anyway, we talked, and then he… kissed me again.”

Yazoo nodded and motioned for her to go on.

“Well, it was… nice… I suppose… but then he grabbed me and I felt his… you know…” she blushed and Yazoo hid a small smile. “And then all I could feel was Jade’s hands all over me. All I could see was him. It was as real as the night it happened.” she swallowed thickly.

“What did Kadaj do?” Yazoo asked, worried that Kadaj had become angry at her.

“He was very understanding…he hugged me and told me that he was sorry, and that it was okay. I just-”

“He’s the first person who’s touched you since it happened, yes?” Yazoo interrupted.

“Yes.” Harmony whispered.

“I understand. It may take a while. But know that no matter how carried away Kadaj may get, he would never take you against your will. We were merciless killers. Hard, cold, and efficient. But we never raped anyone, and would never still.”

Harmony nodded slowly in understanding. “Thank you for listening. And for not…. You know… Killing me.” She chuckled nervously.

Her statement startled a small laugh from Yazoo, the first real laugh she had heard from his lips. “I meant it when I said that we wouldn’t hurt you. You’ve shown us a lot. Besides, we never killed just for the sake of killing. We killed those that got in our way and tried to stop us, but never acted without cause.” He explained.

Harmony nodded again and smiled. The two sat quietly and watched as Loz caught Kadaj in another Mantis hold, listening to him cursing and snarling at his brother. He tried to get out of it again, but Loz was wise to it now, and maneuvered until his free leg was pinning both of his.

Harmony’s line of sight was blocked by dark pants and a white lab coat. “What do you want, Hojo?” she sighed.

“I’d like to speak with you.” His screechy voice sounded.

“So speak.” she said.

“I want a room of my own.”

“No way in hell, Mad Scientist.”

“I cannot live with those heathens. They will not give me peace. If you give me a room of my own, I will not try to leave, and I will not go through your belongings, or anyone else’s.” He bargained.

Harmony looked at Yazoo. He shrugged. “Do you have a door that locks from the outside?” he offered.

“The basement. But if I let you stay in the basement, we’re barring the windows.” She told Hojo.

“That is acceptable.” he agreed

Harmony looked at him a moment, thinking. She suddenly pursed her lips together and let out a shrill whistle. The activity in the meadow stopped and everyone looked at her. She motioned for them to come over. When everyone was there she posed her question.

“Anyone have an issue with barring the windows and locking Hojo in the basement at night? There’s a toilet and a sink. He’d be fine.”

“I think that’s a brilliant idea.” Sephiroth said, narrowing his eyes at the scientist.

“No objections?” Harmony asked. Everyone was silent. “Well then. So mote it be.”

 

After a few more hours, the group headed back to the cabin, and Harmony threw together a stew and let it cook while she took a shower.

When she returned, hair wet and wearing sweat pants, a tank top, and her robe, Cid, Barrett, and Zack walked in the door covered in mud.

“What happened to you?” She asked.

“We planted a few logs a good seven feet a piece into the ground in front of each basement window. There’s no way Hojo can get out of there.” Zack said.

“Awesome! You guys rock!” She said. “Come into the kitchen, soup’s ready. Just wash your hands and you can take turns with the shower later.”

 

Harmony lay in her bed. She was not alone- Yazoo lay in the bed across the room, sleeping soundly, it seemed.

As she lay in her bed, she thought about Kadaj. About his words to her earlier in the day. She knew she couldn’t just sleep with him and not become attached, because she was already becoming attached. To all of them. 

She couldn’t let herself remember the feel of his lips on her skin. On her own. She couldn’t let herself remember his tongue smoothing across hers. Couldn’t let herself remember his hands tracing a path of fire across her body.

She closed her eyes, trying to think of anything but that feeling, wanting to sob in despair when the only thing that accomplished was the physical feeling of his hands on her face, then her arms, and then her stomach. She opened her eyes angrily, intending to get up and break in to the coven’s liquor cabinet, gasping when she saw two glowing green eyes piercing the darkness.

Kadaj sat on the edge of her bed, his hands gently caressing her skin.

“What are you doing here?” She asked softly, so not to wake Yazoo. She sat up and drew her knees in to her chest.

“I had to talk to you. I had to tell you that I’m sorry about earlier, and I didn’t want to wait ‘til morning.”

“Its okay. I forgive you. Can we talk about this later? I don’t want to wake Yazoo.”

“Its fine. We won’t wake him.” Kadaj said. He took a breath, reminding himself that he was a good guy now, and good guys were nice to people. Good guys ask permission, and treat women with respect. “I want to kiss you.” He said. “Just a kiss. If you don’t like it, I’ll stop and I won’t bother you again. Please.” he added as an afterthought.

Harmony sighed. She wanted this: really, really wanted it… but what if the same thing that happened last time… happened this time?

Kadaj saw her fears. “Just a kiss.” He reminded her.

She sighed and gave in with a nod of her head. Before she could even raise her gaze to look at him, his lips were on hers. He kissed her softly, almost hesitant, like he was afraid of scaring her away. She carefully reached out and lay her hand on his chest, grasping the fabric of his shirt in her fingers and kissing back. She stiffened against him when he tried to lay her back onto the bed.

“Just tell me to stop and I will.” Kadaj promised. “I won’t go any further than you want me to.”

She relaxed and allowed him to lower her to the mattress, sighing when he claimed her lips again and lay down beside her. He was half on top of her, but she noticed that he tried to keep most of his weight off of her. His understanding of her fears gave her a spark of courage and she brushed her tongue against his lips, pushing past his teeth to meet with his when he opened his mouth for her.

Kadaj held himself up with one arm, and allowed his free hand to roam her body; slowly down the curve of her neck, teasing between her breasts, down her stomach. He smiled against her mouth when her stomach muscles jumped and continued the trail down her leg, purposefully avoiding the juncture of her thighs.

 

The heat she felt in her veins was threatening to consume her. When Kadaj ran his hand down her body in a sensual caress, she almost lost her mind. She grasped his hand as it attempted to repeat its journey and wove their fingers together, letting him lean further over her to pin her hand to the mattress next to her head. Her other hand slid across his side to caress up and down his back. 

Kadaj used his thumb to rub at the inside of her wrist, throwing one leg over to intertwine with hers. When his knee unintentionally brushed against her center she let out a quiet, involuntary moan.

Kadaj pulled away from her lips. “Shhh. Yazoo.” He reminded.

 

There were three things in Yazoo’s life that he believed he was exceptionally good at. Fighting, lying, and feigning sleep. The third, he reasoned, he must have been better at than he first thought if his brother couldn’t tell that he was awake. His brother also underestimated his instincts too, if he thought that Yazoo wasn’t awake before Kadaj’s hand even touched the doorknob to enter the room. He held still, not wanting to ruin the moment. Harmony needed to know that intimacy didn’t have to be painful and humiliating. As awkward as he would be around them the next morning, he would let them have this moment.

 

“Sorry.” Harmony whispered, trying to control her breathing. Kadaj leaned down close to her and sniffed at the crook of her neck. His eyes widened and his pupils dilated wildly.

“You’re wet.” He hissed. Her eyes widened in shock. “I can smell you. Sweet Shiva you smell amazing.” He whispered reverently. “Let me touch you.” He pleaded, nuzzling the crook of her neck and shuddering against her. “Only touch. I won’t be inside you at all, and I’ll still stop if you ask me to.” He added. His hand trailed down and his fingertips tucked in to the waistband of her pants, his fingers barely rustling the soft hair beneath them.

Harmony sucked in a wild breath when Kadaj’s fingers ventured so close to the molten center of her body. She knew she should tell him no, make him go back to his own room and never touch her again… but his lips felt so right against her skin. His hands felt like a part of her body when they smoothed down her torso. She gave in, pulling him to her and whispering “Yes.” against his lips.

He could have screamed his joy at that one word. He rolled over on top of her, planting one knee between her parted legs and sliding his hand further down her pants and finally coming into contact with the liquid fire pooled between her legs. He bit back a groan of pleasure at the silky skin under his fingertips, and ran the back of his fingers up her slit, delighting at her harsh intake of breath. 

“Oh Gods… so wet… so hot…” He pressed his lips to hers just as he pressed the pad of his finger to the bundle of nerves just above her opening. 

A jolt of pleasure shot through her and she bucked into his hand, biting down on his tongue to keep from shrieking in surprise. He growled softly in his throat and rubbed her lazily, his lips shaking against hers as he battled his desire. “Kadaj!” She choked out, as quietly as she could manage.

“What?” He panted quietly. “What do you want? Tell me!” he hissed.

“Faster!” Harmony answered. “And… and harder… please!”

Kadaj fell to one elbow and rubbed at her frantically. Shaking with desire himself, he leaned down and sucked her earlobe into his mouth, flicking it with his tongue before tugging gently with his teeth.

Harmony shuddered and felt her body drawing nearer to release. “Yes…!” she arched against him, sliding her own hand down to rest over the top of his as he rubbed her and forcing him to press his middle finger deep inside her, along with her own, and pushing the heel of his hand against her clit.

Kadaj’s breath caught in his throat at her boldness and he buried his head in her hair, hissing through clenched teeth.

“Oh!” Was the soft whisper that left her lips as her body convulsed beneath him. She jerked in his arms, squeezing her thighs together and her eyes shut.

She looked so sensual, lost in her orgasm. Kadaj’s will almost broke. When her hand joined his, it slipped a little, and when her thighs tightened around his hand and she trembled beneath his weight, he couldn’t take it. He pressed his face to the pillow beneath her head, biting into the fabric and letting out a muffled, pained moan.

They lay still after that, Kadaj still crouched over her and breathing harsh, catching breaths. Kadaj brought his hand to his mouth and hesitantly tasted the wetness there. He moaned quietly at her taste.

Harmony reached up carefully and took his face in her hands, forcing him to turn his head. She kissed him softly.

“Thank you.” she whispered.

“No.” Kadaj panted. “Thank you. But now I think I should go.”

She looked a little sad at that, but knew that it was probably for the best. She wasn’t ready to go all the way with him yet, and knew if he stayed, she’d be pushing her luck.

As he moved to climb off of her, she felt a hard heat against her hip.

“Oh!” she exclaimed as softly as she could. “You’re-”

“Yeah.” Kadaj let out a raspy chuckle.

“I’m sorry!” Harmony said.

“Its alright. I’ll take a shower and I’ll be fine.” Kadaj leaned down and kissed her one more time. “I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Harmony.”

“Hari.” She corrected him.

He looked back at her and smiled. “Hari.”

As he closed the door behind him, Harmony saw a blue light flash through the cracks. It didn’t last as long as the others, but it was a start. She smiled and snuggled down into her bed, pulling up the comforter that smelled of Kadaj, and was still warm from his being there. She inhaled deeply the scent of leather and polishing oils, and then closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

Yazoo opened his eyes when he heard her breathing even out. He stared at her, embarrassed for bearing witness to all that he had, but proud of her for taking the risk and being strong enough to face her fears. He heard the shower start in the bathroom down the hall, and felt slightly sorry for his little brother. He smiled softly as he heard Harmony sigh in her sleep, and then he rolled over and closed his eyes letting himself drift off for real.

 

Kadaj turned the hot water on and stepped under the scalding spray. He stood there for a moment before twisting the tap and cooling the water a bit. He looked down at his erection and remembered the expression on Harmony’s face when she came. Biting his lip, he took hold of his erection and slid his hand down. He closed his eyes and visualized Harmony under him, writhing and begging as she had only moments before. It didn’t take long after the tension in the bedroom. He braced his arm against the shower wall and rested his head against it, still pumping furiously. He could smell her on his fingers and the scent set him on fire.

He remembered the sound that left her mouth when she came: The startled “Oh!”… and the memory undid him. 

“Fuck!” He lifted his head and bit into his forearm to keep from screaming as his hips bucked and his seed shot from his body. He continued pumping until he couldn’t handle it anymore, and then slumped back against the tile, exhausted. He rinsed himself off, and made sure to rinse the bottom of the tub as well. He then turned the shower off, wrapped a towel around his waist, grabbed his clothes, and went back to his room, noticing the crescent-shaped bruise already forming on his arm.

Loz was up and thumbing through a book. He looked up when Kadaj entered the bedroom.

“Didn’t you shower earlier? What the hell happened to your arm?” He asked before a knowing gleam flashed through his eyes.

“Yes, and its nothing. Don‘t worry about it.” Kadaj said simply. He towel dried his hair and cast the towel aside and then, donning his sweat pants, he climbed into bed and turned his back to Loz. Closing his eyes, he let himself drift away with the image of Harmony’s lustful and pleasure-filled eyes burned into his mind.


	12. Criminals and Cowgirls

Chapter 12

“Harmony?” Came the whisper of her name that tugged at her sleeping form.

“Go away!” She moaned. She tried to roll over and pull her pillow over her head, but the sharp stab of pain that shot through her body made her groan aloud scrunch her eyes closed.

“I’m sorry, Hari,” she recognized the soft voice of Yazoo, “but you really need to see this. Hurry.”

She groaned again and tried to sit up. “Oh Sweet Jesus my body hurts all over!” she said, opening her eyes.

Yazoo smiled sympathetically. “You’ve gotten soft, I imagine. That was a long day of hard combat. If you get up I’ll get you some coffee and see what I can do to ease your muscles.”

The promise of coffee gave her the added push to ease through her pain and sit up. She held her arms up. “Help me up.” she commanded. Yazoo nodded and wrapped his arms under hers and lifted her to her feet. With being as close to her as he was, he could still smell Kadaj all over her, and he forced down his blush and bit back a small smile.

He pulled one of her arms over his shoulders and walked her down the hall and stairs, depositing her on the couch where the other’s were watching the news on the small black and white television. They were playing a blurry video and she instantly recognized it as the police video from when she, Zack, Angeal, and Genesis broke the Remnants out of jail.

“Shit!” she cursed.

“The woman, identified as one Harmony LeAnn Geordon, is still at large, and she is considered armed and dangerous. Her companions identities are unknown, but they are also considered extremely dangerous. If seen on the street, please contact the authorities immediately. Do not approach them. If you have any information on the whereabouts of these suspects, please contact the Chief of Police, Jonathan Gentry. 

“Geordon appears to have with her a substance that causes instant and long-term paralysis-”

At that point, another anchor interrupted the first.

“Its very shocking and heartbreaking to see such a talented young woman turn to crime, Ed. Miss Geordon’s books have been a major stepping-stone for students studying religion and superstition…”

“Turn it off.” Harmony whispered. Zack reached up and turned the knob, bringing silence to the room.

“Are you okay, Harmony?” Cloud asked, stepping toward her.

She held a hand up to stop his advance. “No-just… I’m fine. Damnit! My career, my students, my friends… they all think I’m a criminal! I am a criminal!” She took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

“You were a teacher?” Reno piped in, stupidly.

“Reno!” Tseng hissed, “Let her calm down, you’re so insensitive!”

Harmony sighed. “Yes, I was a teacher. I taught Religious Studies at San Francisco State University.”

“You don’t look old enough to be a professor.” Rude said to her.

“Why thank you. I’m not. I only taught one class a day. I got my teaching degree when I was twenty-two. I student-taught for one year and got my license to teach. I’ve been teaching for two years. How old does that make me?” she said, her tone patronizing.

Rude sobered and nodded his head, and Harmony instantly felt guilty.

“I’m sorry-” she started, but Yazoo cut her off.

“Here.” he handed her a steaming cup of coffee, a few sugar cubes, and a bottle of cream. “I don’t know how you like it.” He continued as she doctored her coffee. “We understand. You had a life. You had a promising career, apparently you were also a respected author, and then we came along and snatched you off of the beach, and ruined your life.”

“I snatched her off of the beach.” Kadaj said, almost sounding forlorn.

Yazoo ignored him and continued. “I for one, apologize for this. When we first came here, I never realized how wrong we had been. We killed innocent people just because they stood in our way. We kidnapped children and brainwashed them into helping us further our violence. We tortured-” he glanced and Tseng, “-two of ShinRa’s best - one of whom is in this room - to get information. Information.

“I never felt guilty about it until coming here, and realizing that if Moth-… If Jenova… was right, there would not be so many people trying to stop us from finding her.” He got onto his knees in front of Harmony. “I’m sorry that I had a hand in taking your life from you.” He touched his forehead to the floor before raising to his knees and turning to face Rufus and the Turks. “I’m sorry for what I have done to you, Tseng.” Again, he touched his head to the floor. Finally, he turned to Cloud. “And you, brother, I am sorry that I took the boy, and I am sorry that I had a hand in trying to make him harm you.”

Loz jumped up and joined Yazoo on the floor. “Me too. I’m sorry I took the girl, and I’m sorry that I hurt the woman with her.”

The group regarded them solemnly. They had not risen from their bow after the final apology. Kadaj drew their attention when he stood, an unreadable, yet dark look about his youthful features. He walked to the other side of the fire pit, where all of them could see him clearly.

There, he dropped to his knees and slowly, every so slowly leaned down and touched his forehead to the ground, his arms outstretched before him, palms up. “It was my fault.” he whispered with a raspy voice. “I made them do it, and I am the one who took Harmony that morning. Even if you can’t forgive me… at least forgive them.”

Harmony watched in awe. She never would have expected such strong, proud warriors to lower themselves to groveling for forgiveness. She prayed that their sacrifice-the sacrifice of their pride-would not be ignored.

 

Kadaj raised his head and looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Cloud’s crystal eyes stared down at him.

“I forgive you.” He said. “All of you.”

“Aye.” Rufus agreed, and there was a chorus of the same from all of the others.

The three looked at Harmony, who had remained silent.

“How can you think that I wouldn’t forgive you?” She said. She tried to stand up to go to them, but didn’t make it any further than leaning forward a bit before her stomach muscles cried out their disagreement to the movement.

Cid acted quickly. “Anyone got a Cure materia? Or a potion?”

“Of course!” Yazoo said. “Why didn’t I think of that?” He went upstairs and retrieved his gun.

“Hey now!” Harmony said, “I know I’m useless right now but you don’t have to euthanize me!”

Everyone laughed-even Vincent managing an amused chuckle-and Harmony watched in amazement as Yazoo raised his hand to the pistol’s grip and pulled out a glowing green orb.

“What is that?!” she asked, breathless at the orbs beauty.

“This is materia. You remember how we told you that using spheres of condensed Mako can give us certain abilities?” Yazoo said. Harmony nodded. “This is a cure materia. It will help with the bruising, but it won’t take it away completely. Especially as I suspect that your ribs are bruised from either Loz or myself flinging you across the field yesterday.” he smiled apologetically. He pressed the materia to her forehead and her eyes widened at the feeling of warmth that rushed though her body. She was able to lean forward and stand up, but still had to steady herself against the couch. 

“That should help a bit. I’m afraid the only thing that will fix you up almost completely is a potion, but I don’t have one.” Yazoo said, clicking the materia back into his gun.

“I have a potion.” Genesis said. He went to his room and dug the vial out of his trench coat. “Here.” he handed it to Harmony. “Drink this.”

She pulled the cap off of the vial and sniffed at the contents, shooting Genesis a suspicious glare and barely controlling the gag that threatened to make itself known.

“It smells like swamp ass!” she whined.

“You’re not supposed to smell it, you’re s’posed to drink it.” Barrett said. Harmony made a face.

“Will it make my stomach and my ribs quit hurting?”

“Not completely, but the effects will be dramatic.” Vincent piped in.

Harmony gulped. She scrunched up her face, plugged her nose with one hand, tipped back the vial, and downed the contents as quickly as she could.

She hurriedly took a big swallow of coffee after she was finished.

“Oh. My. God. If any of you smack me around bad enough that I have to take another one of those, I will smother you in your sleep!” she threatened.

Angeal chuckled. “All the new SOLDIER recruits say something to that effect. I’ll tell you what I tell them, easy solution: Don’t. Get. Hit.”

“Oh, can it, Hulk.” she huffed, playfully.

Angeal looked at her, confused at the nickname.

“Of course you wouldn’t know about the Incredible Hulk. It’s a comic, and a movie. If you’re a good boy, and eat all your vegetables at dinner, I’ll let you watch it.” she teased.

“Why yes, Mother, me too! I would so love to watch a movie before bedtime!” Zack teased back. The group chuckled at the childish display.

Harmony quieted her laughter and looked around at the men in the cabin. When she first heard their stories, when she first met them, she would never have imagined their personalities to be as they were. She had misjudged them all. A thought struck her as she thought about how wrong her perception of them had been in the beginning.

“Did anyone feed the Pony?” she asked.

“Pony?” Rufus looked confused.

“The horse’s-ass in the basement? Hojo?” She clarified.

“Yeah, I threw him a jar of peanut butter and a half a loaf of bread.” Rude said.

“You locked the door again, right?” She pressed.

He huffed. “Don’t insult me. I’m a TURK.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh I am so sorry Mr. TURK. Pray forgive me my thoughtless concern.”

Sensing an argument, Angeal interrupted. “What’s a horse?”

Harmony almost choked on the coffee she was sipping. “You guys don’t have horses in your world?!”

They shook their heads.

“Oh you poor things! Everybody get dressed. We’re going out today. Put your contacts in, too. I know the people we’re visiting and-”

“Harmony, are you sure that is a good idea? You’re a wanted woman.” Tseng reminded her.

“These guys would sooner cut their own heads off than turn me in. Have a little faith in me, guys. I may be a bit on the spontaneous side, but I’m not an idiot. Anyway. The people we are going to see are members of my coven. They know about you, but I still think it best if you try to blend in. I don‘t want to freak them out.”

 

When the group was dressed and had eaten a light breakfast, they piled into Harmony’s van. Barrett was driving, and Harmony, Kadaj, Yazoo, Loz, Angeal, Zack, and Genesis packed in as far back as they could fit, so that the tinted windows would hide their faces. Harmony called instructions to Barrett as they made their way to a small cabin on the other side of the town below the mountain.

When they pulled up outside, Harmony stopped the men getting out. “Tseng.” she called.

“Yes?”

“I need you to use some of that TURK training. I wrote this note before we left. Do you see that woman over there on the porch watching us?”

“I do.”

“Good. Give her this note. When you approach her I need you to call her name and tell her you are Mrs. Lee’s attorney. Tell her there was an accident and you need to discuss the contents of ‘the will’. Make sure plenty of people hear you.”

Tseng raised his eyebrow at this elaborate plan. “Won’t that give her the wrong impression?”

“Absolutely not. It’s a code. When she hears that, she knows to break down crying and close the ranch to the public. The ‘customers’ will leave, allowing us to enter unnoticed.” she grinned.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You’re ShinRa material, Harmony.” Rufus said.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” Harmony mocked playfully, “No way in hell. You’ll probably say the same thing about Jodee though. Miss Day is a very good actress, and pretty good in combat, too.”

At hearing the name he needed, Tseng exited the van, the manila envelope containing Harmony’s letter in his hand.

“Miss Day?” He asked. The woman nodded hesitantly. “My name is Tseng Kambashii. I am Miss Lee’s attorney.”

“Is Karen okay?” The woman asked.

Tseng shook his head, happy the woman was going along easily, and happier still when another woman left the cabin, followed by a large group of people. “I’m afraid not, Miss Day. There was an accident last week, and Miss Lee was killed. I am here today to review the contents of her Last Will and Testament.”

Harmony was right: the woman was a very convincing actress, as was the other that led the group out.

“Oh, God!” Jodee said shakily falling to her knees. “Karen! Lissy! Karen’s dead!”

“Oh Jesus…What happened?” The woman-Lissy, Tseng noted- asked.

“It was a car accident. She made an illegal turn and was hit by a large truck. May my colleagues and I come inside?” Tseng asked politely.

“Y-yes.” Jodee said, her voice sounding choked. “Melissa, please return our guests’ money and take them back to the parking area?” The other woman nodded.

Tseng helped Jodee to her feet and allowed her to lead him inside. Once the door was closed and Jodee was sure the customers were out of hearing range, she spun around to face Tseng.

“Where is Harmony, and why are you and those men in her van?!” Jodee said, sticking her finger in his face.

He handed her the envelope and took a step back. “I am who I said I was. Tseng Kambashii. Except I am a friend of hers, not an attorney.”

“You’re one of the travelers that our Priest told us about.” she said.

“Yes.”

“Harmony is in the van, isn’t she?” Jodee asked, fresh hopeful tears welling in her eyes.

Tseng nodded. “She is, and she’s okay.”

With those words, Jodee opened the envelope and read the contents. She sobbed and dove past Tseng, running outside and throwing the doors of the van open. She searched the strange faces until she found the one she was looking for.

“Hari!” she whispered.

“Jo…” Harmony said. She climbed frantically over the others in the van until she was diving into her friend’s arms.

“You’re okay!” Jodee sobbed. “We saw you on the news… We’ve been so worried! Come inside, all of you, before someone sees you. Lissy went to close the gates, but if someone comes in before she gets there she might miss them.”

The group piled out of the vehicle and hurried into the cabin.

“Introduce us.” Jodee said.

Harmony motioned to Cloud for him to start. After him, each man stepped forward and stated his name.

“Cloud Strife.”

“Barrett Wallace.”

“Cid Highwind.”

“Reno Montonati.”

“Anthony Rudow. Call me Rude.”

“Rufus ShinRa.”

“Genesis Rhapsodos.”

“Zack Fair.”

“Angeal Hewley.”

“Sephiroth. I have no last name.”

“Yazoo.” the long-haired Remnant stated. He looked at the expectant faces of those around him and sighed, resigned. “Yazoo Kobayashi.”

The other’s stared in shock, but none had time to address the fact that this Remnant was the legendary missing Master of the Hana Niwa dojo. Tseng vowed to dig into that topic as soon as they returned to the cabin.

Kadaj stepped forward. “Kadaj Nakamura.” Again, more stares.

“Rozzu Miyake, but most people call me ‘Loz’.”

“And you’ve already met Tseng. There is another. A scientist - and I want to talk to you guys about him. Because he is going to be a huge problem. He’s locked in the basement of Nightingale Ridge. We barred the windows and I put a sturdy barrier spell up so he can’t get the door open. His name is Hojo.”

“Fumio Hojo.” Vincent said.

“Nice to meet all of you, and we can talk about this ‘Hojo’ when Lissy gets back.” Jodee turned to Harmony. “The coven meeting isn’t for a month, what are you doing here? Not that you’re not welcome…” she rushed, “Just unexpected.”

“Well… its kind of a silly reason. You see, there is a tragedy that has befallen these fine gentlemen.” Harmony said with a slight smile.

Jodee smiled back at her. “And pray tell, what is this awful happening?” she played along.

“There are no horses in their world. They don’t even know what a ‘horse’ is!”

Jodee gasped. “That is a tragedy!” She gestured around her room to the figurines and paintings of large, four-legged animals. “These are horses. We ride them. People have been riding horses for thousands upon thousands of years.”

“So they’re like chocobos are to us, then.” Cloud reasoned.

“Really big, non-flying birds.” Reno added at the girl’s confused expressions.

The door slammed open. “Where is she?! I’m gonna kill ’er!” Melissa said, stomping into the cabin. She zeroed in on Harmony. “You! Do you have any idea how worried we’ve been?!”

Harmony stood up. “I’m sorry. As you can see, I was a little busy. We’ll be staying at Nightingale Ridge until the coven meeting, and however long we need to before we can get them back and get rid of Jenova.”

“Is that the alien floating above San Francisco? The one that you could have killed yourself stopping?” Jodee cut in. “That was brilliant, and very well-worded, but stupid! You know how much energy spells like that take from you. You could have died!”

“Better one life than a million.” Harmony said.

“You are such an idiot!” Jodee said. She lunged at Harmony, intending to knock her upside the head, but Harmony blocked the attack. Each attack that Jodee threw was knocked away, until the girls were laughing and dancing around each other.

“Okay, okay. We came to see if you guys would let them ride.” Harmony said.

“Of course. Its been a while since I got to see you ride. I miss it.” Melissa said.

“Well, what are we waiting for?”

 

It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Sephiroth picked up riding quickly, and now, on the back of Melissa’s massive Clydesdale, he galloped around the training field. His long chesnut-colored hair whipped out behind him in a fluttering wave of brilliant shimmer.

“Well fuck me sideways. You’ve been living with that?!” Jodee whistled under her breath to Harmony.

“Yeah.” Harmony said. Her attention was focused on another man, though. Kadaj was in the circular corral on the back of a pretty black and white paint. The mare glided at a medium gate, Kadaj moving with the animal and looking as though it was the only place he ever wanted to be again. “He really is beautiful…” she said, not realizing she had voiced her thoughts.

“Damn straight.” Jodee said, and then she noticed that Harmony was not looking at Sephiroth. She was looking at Kadaj. Staring at Kadaj. “You’ve been close to him.” She said, matter-of-factly.

“What?” Harmony asked, looking at her.

“The smaller one. You can’t take your eyes off of him.”

Harmony sighed and quietly told her coven-sister the story between herself and Kadaj.

“I see your dilemma. That’s a tough choice, and you know I can’t make it for you. I will tell you this, though: I have never seen two auras more compatible than his and yours.” Jodee said, looking at Kadaj and squinting her eyes. “Why don’t you ride for a bit? Just relax and don’t think about it right now.”

Harmony nodded.

“Hey guys! Ya’ll are in for a treat! Hari’s gonna ride for ya!” Jodee called. She led the group-some on horseback, some not-to a different, fenced-in arena. There were white poles set up all over the arena, along with what looked like martial arts training dummies, and large, rusted barrels.

“Pick your pony.” Melissa said, gesturing to the three horses she was leading behind her.

“Do you even have to ask?” Harmony said, chuckling. She walked to the almost golden horse on Melissa’s left, taking the lead from her and affectionately patting the horse. She turned to the others. “This is Fionnlagh. He is an Akhal Teke, one of the most sought-after breeds in the world, and the pride and joy of the Lunar Ranch. He belongs to me. Akhal Teke are known for their strength, speed, and distinctive beauty. No matter the color, their coat always has an almost metallic shine. They glow.” 

She ran her hand down the stallion’s neck and he nickered softly, turning his head and butting against her. She smiled and continued. “They are legendary. Spoken of in many stories. One of the stories is about the Battle of Geok- Tepe testifies: ’An Akhal Teke stallion wearing two heavy blankets and wounded by a saber blow carried away three Teke tribesmen across the quicksand from pursuing Cossacks.’ They are my favorite breed. Fionnlagh is one of my best friends, aren’t you boy?” she said to the stallion.

She turned back to the men with a smile on her face before swinging her leg over the horses back and settling in the saddle. “Kadaj, I know it may be overstepping my rights, but may I borrow your sword?” she asked.

He appeared to think about it for a moment before nodding his head and unsheathing the Souba, handing it to her with care. “Anything happens to that weapon and I take it out of your skin.” He warned. Harmony nodded.

She clicked her tongue and nudged the animal forward, breaking into a run and nearing the first fence.

The group watched in awe as the golden creature leaped over the first jump, turning sharply and veering around a barrel before sweeping past one of the training dummies. As she rode past, Harmony lashed out with Kadaj’s sword, slashing across the dummy’s chest and knocking it to the ground.

“Hey!” Jodee cried. “Don’t ruin my equipment!”


	13. The History of an Orphan and a New Roommate

Chapter 13

“I saw your face when you were riding today.” Harmony said as Kadaj entered the kitchen. “You liked it.”

“Yeah, I guess I did.” He answered with a shrug. “What are you doing? Its too early for dinner.”

“I want this roast to be nice and tender. It should be ready around seven.” She could tell that he was skirting something. “Out with it. What do you really want to say?”

Kadaj smirked internally. She always seemed to know when someone was hiding something. “I want to room with you.” There. Simple.

She sighed. “Kadaj… I don’t think that’s wise, What happened last night was amazing, but-”

“But what? Don’t even try to tell me that you didn’t like it, because I know otherwise. And don’t you dare deny that you want me to do it again!” He spun her around to face him as she closed the oven door, backing her into the countertop.

“What I want-” She started.

“Is me.” Kadaj interrupted.

“-is irrelevant. We’re from different worlds! I’m already going to miss you guys when you go back. Are you trying to make it that much harder for me?” She held back the tears threatening to fall.

“That’s the point, though! If I’m leaving, we should spend our time together -how we want to be- while we can.” Kadaj purred.

“No, that’s not the-”

“Shut-up.” With that, he silenced her with a hard kiss.

She whined into his mouth, frustrated. He leaned forward, nearly bending her backwards over the countertop and reaching up to tangle his fingers in her hair. He used his grip on her hair to tilt her head to the side, sliding his lips across her jaw line and to her neck.

Harmony bit back a moan as he nipped at her skin. “Kadaj, we shouldn’t-Oh! Please…someone might see!”

“Then let them see.” He immediately went back to tasting her skin.

“Stop…” She said, breathlessly.

“No. Not until you agree to switch rooms.”

“Kadaj!” She gasped as he bit her earlobe.

“I’ll sleep in my own bed. The rules still stand. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.” He reasoned.

“What about what you’re doing right now?” Harmony snapped.

“I said ‘anything you don’t want me to do’. You want this.” He sucked at a spot on her neck and she squirmed. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as she threaded her fingers through his hair.

“Fine! Fine. But!” Kadaj pulled away to look at her, and seeing that she had his attention, she continued, “If for any reason I decide that it isn’t going to work, you can’t argue with me!”

Kadaj smiled seductively and leaned in, their mouths almost touching. “Deal.” he said, and he closed the distance between them.

Harmony did moan then, opening her mouth and allowing Kadaj’s tongue to explore her. Her hands reached up under his arms and grasped his shoulders as he tugged harder on her hair.

“If this has anything to do with what’s for dinner, I ain’t eatin’ it!”

They broke apart, startled, and Harmony peeked past Kadaj to see Cid standing in the doorway. She blushed, mortified.

“Gonna tell me it isn’t what it looks like?” He taunted, using her excuse from the first time he caught them kissing.

Kadaj only smiled as Harmony’s blushed deepened. He turned back around and gave her a gentle peck on the lips. “Tonight.” He whispered his dark promise into her ear. He then turned away from her and left the pilot and the magician alone.

“You know what ‘cher doin’?” Cid asked, leaning against the counter next to Harmony as she turned, still flushed, and began cleaning up her work area.

“Not a frickin’ clue.” she admitted.

Cid laughed. “Well, I guess that’s how its s’posed to be. Vince told me about you. Seems you been through a helluva lot.”

Harmony only nodded.

“You know, I didn’t have a bad life.” Harmony paused and looked at the pilot. He smiled reassuringly and continued. “My folks were pretty well off. Mechanics for ShinRa. I went to a great school, had friends, money, women. You name it, an’ my folks made sure I had it. When they passed, I went home to Rocket Town. Tha’s where we were from. Waddn’ long after that, ShinRa came and offered me a job.”

He told Harmony of the Rocket they built, how excited he was, and how much he loved his work. Then he told her about Shera and her refusal to leave the fuel compartments before take-off.

“It sounds like she loved you a lot.” Harmony said. “She was willing to die for you to have your dream. Where is she now?”

“Back home, with my boy bouncin’ on ‘er knee. Turns out I love the woman, too.” He smiled, but the happiness slowly fell from his face when he thought of his wife and son. He missed his family so much.

“Did you go?” Harmony asked. Cid looked at her, confused for a moment before it dawned on him that she was asking about space.

“Yep. During the Jenova War, we stole the rocket back from ShinRa so we could get the special materia out of it. Me, Cloud, and Tifa -she’s Cloud’s girl- all got to go. I finally got my dream. At ShinRa’s expense.” He laughed.

“I’ll get you home, Cid.” Harmony said, the mood instantly sobering. “I didn’t know that any of you had children… and now that I do… I was hopeful before. But now I know that I have to get you guys home.”

Cid clapped the woman on the shoulder. “You do what you can. If ya can’t get us home, well, no one will blame you.”

Harmony smiled at him. “Thanks, Cid.”

The rest of the day was relatively quiet. Kadaj and Yazoo went off to the meadow with all but one of the other men. Loz stayed behind. “To keep an eye on Hojo.” He’d said.

Harmony decided to take the opportunity to visit the hot tub of the back deck of the cabin. Out of courtesy, she invited Loz to come along. She had not been expecting him to agree, thinking he’d rather stick around and watch Hojo, so she was surprised when not fifteen seconds after she called her invitation upstairs, Loz appeared before her in shorts and nothing else. At seeing his chiseled, granite chest and abs, she almost fainted.

Did all of them have to be so God-damned sexy?!

“I’ll take that as a ‘Yes.’ You really have to show me how you move that fast.” She chuckled. She led the way to the hot tub and let out a loud moan of contentment as she sank into the water. “So.” She said, working up her courage. “What’s your story?”

“Huh?” Loz asked, looking at her like she’d grown a second head. “Why would you want to know that?”

“Well, Yazoo told me his, and Reno, and Cid told me their’s. I’d like to know yours, too. If you don’t want to, its okay.” Harmony said, leaning her head back onto the siding and exposing her throat.

“Yazoo didn’t tell you?”

“He said it wasn’t his place. Its okay. We don’t have to talk about it.” When he was silent, she figured she had over-stepped the boundaries again.

Long minutes ticked by in silence, until Loz startled her by speaking. “I was born in Corel.” 

Harmony smiled and motioned for him to continue. 

“Both my parents worked at the reactor there. We weren’t poor, but we could have used a bit more money. My Pop went off to the Gold Saucer to try and find work there, and left me and Mama in Corel ‘til he could find a better place to move us. He finally found a job racing Chocobos. It was good pay, and it was something he liked. We were still in Corel when it happened. I guess Pop’s chocobo fell on the track, and some of the other riders couldn’t avoid him. Mama was devastated when they came to tell us. I think that’s what killed her. I was pretty little, but I remember some. She stopped eating, stopped working, started sleeping all day… It was like her son didn’t exist anymore. I guess I reminded her of Pop. Anyway, it was only a few months after Pop died that Mama died too.” The big Remnant paused to wipe at the tears barely starting to trail down his face, cursing his weakness.

By that point, Harmony was sitting up, a sympathetic look on her face. “Oh, Loz. I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.” He said. “After Mama died, ShinRa came to Corel. They said they were looking for candidates for some new SOLDIER program. I was around seven or eight, I think. The people there really had no way of knowing what they were really up to, and they didn’t want to take care of an orphan, so they let them take me. I spend the next twenty-six years of my life as a lab-rat for Hojo. Kadaj and Yazoo, I met about a year before we were released. I’m sure he told you about that. When Hojo let us go, I was so happy. I was gonna go home… but then… all I remember feeling was this strong pull in the direction of the Northern Cave, and then the next thing I know, I’m waking up at the Forgotten City with Kadaj and Yazoo.”

Harmony was blown away. Twenty-six years?! That made Loz thirty-four. He seemed so young! Of course, she allowed, if she were locked away in a lab with no human contact other than a depraved scientist and other victims, she might be a little immature, too. She could finally understand why Loz, the oldest of the Remnants, acted like the youngest. He never learned how to grow up. He was never expected to survive, let alone be set free.

“Thank you for sharing that with me, Loz.” She said, softly.

“Well… You’re welcome. And, uh, thanks. For listening. I kind of feel…”

“Better?” Harmony ventured.

“Yeah. I feel better now. I think I’m gonna head back inside. You comin’?”

“Nah. I think I’m gonna relax here for a while. Its quiet, y’know?” Harmony answered.

“’Kay.” Loz said. In a flash, he was gone.

Harmony once again rested back against the siding. She had heard two stories today, from two vastly different lives. She said a silent prayer to Apollo that she be given the strength and knowledge to keep her promise.

These men needed to go home.

 

Dinner went over just as quietly, even though there was one shocking moment when Harmony took Hojo’s dinner to the basement.

“Thank you.” He had said. Harmony choked out a reply and hastened back up the stairs, wide-eyed.

After dinner they took turns with the shower, as they had agreed would become the usual. Harmony was given first dibs, as she was the host, after all. She hurried through her shower and the rest of her nightly routine before popping her head out from the hallway and saying goodnight to the others.

“Yazoo? Can I talk to you?” She asked. 

He nodded and allowed Kadaj to take his turn in the shower. “What is it?” He asked, seeing her nervous fidgeting when he stepped around the corner into the hallway.

“I need you to reassure me that Kadaj will not do anything…unbecoming.”

“It is done.” Yazoo said, narrowing his eyes. “Why?”

“Well… Um… You should probably move your things to Loz’s room…”

Yazoo raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “He finally convinced you to let him into your room?”

“More like bullied me.” Harmony pouted. The two walked side by side as they made their way to the room. Harmony let out a nervous laugh when she found Kadaj’s things on Yazoo’s bed, and Yazoo’s things piled in the corner.

Yazoo only smiled and gathered his things in his arms.

“Goodnight, Hari. And good luck.”

Harmony mock-scowled and stuck her tongue out at him, waving him away. Deciding on a plan of action, she slid into her bed and did her best to fall asleep. Maybe if she was sleeping when Kadaj came to bed, he would let her be for the night.

 

Kadaj rushed through his shower and quickly redressed in his clothes. He was only just making progress with Harmony. He didn’t want to set himself back by embarrassing her and showing up in nothing but a towel. That would come later, he smirked.

He passed Yazoo in the hall. The older Remnant gave him a hard, warning look. Which was then contradicted by the knowing smirk that followed.

“Behave yourself, little brother.” Yazoo said quietly.

“Not a chance.” Kadaj answered. He continued down the hall to his new room. Carefully, he slid the door open. What he found both annoyed and amused him.

Harmony was sprawled out across her bed, arms and legs akimbo and drooling on her pillow. That was amusing. The fact that she was indeed already asleep, was a bit obnoxious. If she thought she was getting away that easily, she was a few dumbapples short of a fruit pie.

“Harmony…” He whispered. He reached out to touch her and thanked every God that there was for his quick reflexes as she sat up with a gasp and tackled him to the floor. He narrowly missed a fist headed right for his face.

“Well, I had no idea you’d miss me that much.” Kadaj said with a smirk.

“You ass, you scared me!” Harmony growled. She tried to untangle their limbs and get up but he locked his legs around her and flipped them over.

“I kind of like it down here, actually.” He drawled. He then let out a rather undignified grunt and winced as she drew a leg up and kicked him squarely in the groin.

She flipped them over and tried to stand up, only to have Kadaj grip her ankle and pull her back down. He sat up, flipping her backwards and pulling both of her legs up over his shoulders. He leaned down, pinning her with his weight.

“How about this one. I hear it does wonders for women.” He said, smirking again.

Harmony reached up with one hand and jabbed him in the ribs, just under his arm. He hissed and rolled off of her.

Harmony flipped to her feet and made a bee-line for the door, intending to put some distance between them and think before his lips made it impossible for her to do so. 

He was on his feet in a half-second and in front of her before her second step for the door. “Figure out what you‘re running from first. Run from me all you want, but stop running from yourself!” He said.

“Get out of my way, Kadaj!” Harmony said, lunging at him with a vicious jab of her fist. He sidestepped and caught her hand, yanking her against him. He stuck his arm between her legs and lifted, flipping her upside down and slamming her down onto his bed. Her nightgown rode up above her waist, exposing her modest gray panties. Kadaj growled and fell on top of her. His groin was right in front of her face and Harmony considered biting through his pants to get him off of her as she felt him yanking her panties down her legs.

“Hey!” She exclaimed. 

“Be quiet.” Kadaj hissed. He leaned down and without any warning, slid his tongue down her slit.

She gasped and arched her back.

“Like that, do you?” Kadaj purred, leaning down and nuzzling her heat.

Harmony was so angry. He knew what to do to make her forget her reservations. The strings holding her back finally snapped. If he was going to play dirty, then by the Gods, so was she.

Kadaj could not describe his shock as he felt Harmony attack his pants, ripping them open as soon as she had the button undone.

“I can play your little game, too, damnit!” She snarled. She brazenly reached into his boxers and pulled his flaccid member from them. Kadaj jerked at her touch and buried his face in her thigh. Harmony blew across the head, working him with her hands and feeling him harden a little more with every stroke.

Kadaj let out a low groan and shuddered. This was unexpected… Certainly welcome, but unexpected.

“Oh Ifrit’s Horns… Harmony…” He whispered. He lifted himself from her thigh and dragged his tongue down her moist flesh again, moaning into her heat when she gave a short cry and bucked towards him. He flicked his tongue inside her, wrapping his arms around her thighs and easing her legs further apart. He pulled his tongue from her and began swirling it around her pearl.

“Kadaj!” Harmony gasped again, gripping his now rock-solid erection tightly, the action earning her a moan. This wasn’t fair. He was driving her nearly mindless, and still seemed to be in perfect control of himself. That was not going to fly. If she was going to be a writhing mass of wanton lust, then so was he!

Harmony got her wish when she leaned up, parted her lips, and slipped his erection between them.

Kadaj gave a strangled cry and threw his head back, thrusting down into her mouth.

“Oh my Gods!” He gasped out. With a growl he dove into her full force, his tongue flicking and swirling, his teeth nipping, his lips sucking until Harmony was almost sobbing around him. He began thrusting down into her mouth, taking the pleasure she offered without hesitation.

 

Harmony was caught between the Glow of Heaven and the Fires of Hell. What Kadaj was doing to her set her aflame, sending her spiraling out of her mind… Until he started thrusting into her mouth. He hit the back of her throat and her vision swam, finally clearing to show a different scene. 

A dark-haired boy held her by the throat, pinning her to a scratchy wooden headboard and forcing himself between her lips. She could feel the pain of the bruises that tainted her face and arms, and the swelling of her nether regions after having been savagely violated. She choked, trying to scream and the action earned her a hard blow to the face.

“Stop!” She sobbed. “Please, don’t do this!”

But the boy only laughed at her.

 

Kadaj knew something was wrong when Harmony stopped gasping in pleasure below him. He flicked his tongue against her clit before nipping at it, trying to get a reaction. Nothing. He gently and restlessly moved his hips, sliding her lips against his erection. She pushed against him and he allowed himself to slip out of her mouth.

“Stop!” she choked, and was in his arms before she took another breath. At hearing her choked voice he dove for her, fearing that he had somehow hurt her.

“Shhh,” He soothed. “I’m sorry. Its okay. Its okay.” He tried to remember and employ the same technique that Yazoo used to use on him or Loz after Hojo had come for either of them. He gently rocked her back and forth, running a soothing hand down her spine and allowing her to sob into the crook of his neck.

“Tell me what I did.” He requested. “I want to know so I don’t do it again.”

Harmony swallowed a sob. “It isn’t your fault. I-I-I…I felt you hit the back of my throat and then all I could see was Jade, when he had me pinned to the headboard and was forcing me to-”

“Stop!” Kadaj hissed. “You don’t have to give me details.”

Harmony went limp in his arms and was silent for a few agonizing minutes.

“Are you angry with me?” She whispered.

“No.” Kadaj answered gently. “I’m angry with myself for my insensitivity.”

“No, please. Let’s not think about it. Let’s not talk about it. Let’s just go to sleep. Okay?” Harmony pleaded.

Kadaj nodded. He was no longer in need of release, for as soon as he thought he had hurt Harmony he completely lost all physical evidence of desire. He straightened out on the bed and pulled Harmony down with him. He lay at her back, with her between himself and the wall. Safe. Protected.

As they lay there, Kadaj gently caressed Harmony’s arm. He was just drifting off to sleep when his hand accidentally brushed against the side of her breast and she let out a tiny moan.

He couldn’t believe it! She was still aroused! He sighed into her hair and smoothed his hand down her torso.

“Do you want me to…” His hand moved lower.

Harmony sucked in a gasp and her hand gripped his forearm. “I-” she started.

“Its okay. I’m not him. Its okay.” He whispered, feathering kisses along her shoulder. She let out the breath she’d been holding and released his hand. He pushed against her stomach, pressing her tighter against him as he felt his arousal stirring to life once more. He twined his hand around her body and straight to the juncture of her legs. Using two fingers, he gathered some of the slick moisture from her slit and spread it around her clit, rubbing in slow, lazy circles.

Harmony whimpered and moved restlessly against Kadaj’s hand. He was treating her so gently, reverently caressing her with hands that she knew had been used to torture, to kill.

He slid his other arm under her and gripped her breast through her nightgown. He pinched her nipple and rolled it between his fingers.

Harmony arched back into him, gasping when she felt his renewed arousal at the small of her back. She timidly reached around and took him into her hand, stroking him in the same rhythm that he tormented her with.

He moaned softly into her ear. “Turn your head.” He said, leaning up on one elbow. “Kiss me.”

She did as she was told and keened at the taste of herself in his mouth. She slipped her tongue in and out of his mouth in a rhythm that she desperately hoped he would imitate. She got what she was after, tightening her grip and speeding her strokes as his fingers began to flutter against her madly.

She tore her mouth away from his and he occupied his mouth by nibbling on her ear and neck as she squirmed against him. He could sense the tension in her body was about to reach its peak, and he whispered into her ear, urging her along.

“Come, Harmony. Come for me. You look so amazing when you come.” He said honestly.

And come she did. At the feeling of his breath rushing past her ear, all of her muscles tightened, and then spasmed as she felt herself fly over the edge. She squeezed him in her hand tightly, relishing in his almost agonized cry, and nearly came again when his hand left her twitching center to join her own on his erection, pumping her hand with his in a few quick, tight strokes before he jerked behind her and a hot, shuddering breath rushed across her neck. She felt his hot essence spill across their hands as he bucked and shuddered. It almost gave her more pleasure to see him through climax than her own orgasm had. Almost.

“Thank you.” She whispered, as she had the night before.

Kadaj smiled. “That’s a weird thing to say after something like that… But I agree. Thank you.” He wrapped her in his arms and listened to her slowing heartbeat until it was a steady rhythm as she slept, and then allowed himself to close his eyes and follow her.


	14. Training, Day 1

Chapter 14

 

Harmony was warm. Warmer than she had been in a long time. It wasn’t a physical warmth; it was something deeper. She felt…safe. She groggily opened her eyes and took a deep breath, attempting to lift her arms and stretch. She was met with resistance against her arm. Confused, she looked down, slowly following the trail of pale skin that she knew did not belong to her.

She followed the arm until she saw the face of her bedmate, and almost couldn’t control the reflex to scramble out of the bed as she gasped. All at once, the memories of the night came flooding back and Harmony blushed. 

Had she really been so forward?

Kadaj hadn’t seemed to mind. In fact, if she remembered correctly, he had lost his control over her for a moment there. A smirk found its way to her lips, which turned to a soft smile as she remembered how he held and comforted her after her memories over-rode her brain. She slowly turned her head to see him better. She cursed the fact that she had colored his hair, as now, out here at the cabin, it was unnecessary. She really had liked the sharp silver color.

Still, the black color suited him. It complimented his pale skin and emerald-and-topaz eyes almost like it was natural. Harmony let her eyes wander across his face. His skin was flawless, his lips showing the slightest hint of pink. She remembered their softness against her skin, and felt her body heat rise. His eyes were slightly slanted, giving him a distinctive and exotic look. She remembered the hungry gaze shooting through her last night when he had her pinned to the floor and she shuddered.

“Are you going to stare at me all morning?” Kadaj whispered.

Harmony started and sputtered a little. “I thought you were asleep. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” She apologized, feeling strangely at-ease with him. She had expected to feel a bit awkward.

“I’ve been awake since you first started to move.” He said with a smile. He opened his eyes. “Good morning.”

Harmony smiled back at him. “Good morning.”

And suddenly, there it was: Awkward was inching its way in.

Kadaj didn’t give it a chance to take hold. He leaned over to place a chaste kiss across Harmony’s lips. However, rather than let him pull away, she caught it, and returned it twice over. Kadaj let out a sigh of contentment and rolled over, turning her onto her back and resting his weight over her.

“You’re quite the little seductress when you get over your nerves, aren’t you?” He growled into her ear. Harmony’s breath quickened.

“What…what do you mean?” she asked, breathless.

“I mean to simply greet you, and you turn it into a promise for…something else…” He kissed the skin behind her ear. “Let me touch you again. Let me see your face in the light of day when I make you come.” He crooned.

Harmony shivered and nodded her head to give in- when a loud banging on her bedroom door forced her to rethink her answer.

“Kadaj! Get up! I know you’re in there!” Came Loz’s voice.

Kadaj groaned in annoyance. “What the hell do you want, Loz?”

“We’re going to the meadow! I didn’t go yesterday and I wanna kick your ass again!” Kadaj groaned and rested his forehead against Harmony’s.

Harmony giggled at Kadaj and his look of frustration.

“You too, Harmony!” Came the shout through the door. Her giggles ceased and she looked just as irritated. It was Kadaj’s turn to chuckle at her.

“Alright.” She let out a martyr’s sigh. “We’re coming.”

“Not anymore.” Kadaj sulked quietly.

 

“Good, Harmony!” Yazoo said, barely avoiding an open-palmed swing to his jaw. “You almost had me that time.”

Harmony growled. She knew that Yazoo was only being helpful, but damnit this was frustrating!

“Ever hear that saying - Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades?” She huffed, striking out to slash her fingernails across his cheek.

“Never. But I like it.” He smiled, avoiding her attack again. He lashed out with his own attack, kicking her feet out from under her and landing her on her back with Velvet Nightmare inches from her face. He moved the gun and helped her to her feet. “Again.” he said, falling into stance.

“No.” Harmony refused. He looked at her, curious and annoyed that his ‘student’ was defying him.

“You’ll never get it if you give up.” He retorted.

Harmony limped away holding her side to relieve the stitch that was buried there. “Forgetting something, Sensei?” She sneered. “Normal person. I don’t have that marvelous Mako or Jenova cells.” She knew she struck too far when he winced.

“You’re right.” He said. “I’m sorry.”

“What the hell?!” Kadaj said from the sidelines. “No way. No breathers.” He turned to Harmony. “Would the master you originally trained under allow you to speak to him that way?” He asked.

He didn’t wait for her to answer.

“Of course he wouldn’t, and you’re not going to talk to us that way, either. Maybe back at the cabin, but not here. Not in the meadow. Here, you are a student. Here, you listen to us.” He growled. He drew the Souba and forced it into her hand, grabbing the standard ShinRa sword that Zack offered. Apparently he agreed with Kadaj. 

“Now,” Kadaj said, spinning the sword in a circle to loosen his wrists. “Again!”

Harmony looked like she wanted to tear his head off and scream down the hole. “Damnit Kadaj, I said-” She never got to finish her reply. Kadaj lunged in and took a swing at her that would have taken half of her face off. She reacted quickly, throwing the sword up and blocking him.

His attacks didn’t stop. He pushed her further and further, forcing her to back up with each lunge.

Without warning, he jumped away from her. She watched closely, trying to discern his next move, when she saw the air around his sword start to shimmer. A smoky grey-blue haze seeped from the sword, traveling up Kadaj’s arm to his smirking face. He leaped into the air, coming at her faster than even Loz had ever done.

Harmony reacted instinctively. She threw her sword up to block the blow, surprised and a little afraid as she felt the air around her stir. She felt as though static electricity was racing across her skin, making the hair on her arms and neck stand up.

She heard a collective gasp from those watching as a loud crackle sounded from the sword in front of her, but she dared not take her eyes from her opponent.

At that exact moment, Kadaj’s sword met with hers. It took all of her strength to hold him back, and it seemed like an eternity before anything happened. And when something did happen, it was huge. The crackle that Harmony heard was lightening as it surged into her sword, and everything seemed to happen at once. 

The sword Kadaj was using shattered and the deadly double blades of his opponent slashed down his left arm. He snarled in pain for a split second, and then an explosion shook the meadow.

The next thing she knew, Harmony was on her back a good ten feet away, and Yazoo, Vincent, and Zack were trying to get her up.

“Are you alright?”

“What the hell was that?!”

“I’ve never seen anything like that!” They all rushed at once.

She allowed them to help her to her feet, swaying slightly.

“I… I don’t know. I didn’t do it on purpose. I’ve never used my magic to fight before.” She looked across the meadow and saw Loz and Cloud gently peeling Kadaj’s bloody shirt from his body so that they could get to his arm.

“Oh no!” She cried, trying to rush over and nearly toppling to the ground. Vincent quickly threaded her arms over his shoulder and helped her limp over to him. “I’m sorry!” She said when she got there.

Kadaj just grinned like a madman. “Are you kidding me?! That was amazing! The last person the knock me around like that was him!” He gestured to Cloud. “What was that, anyway?”

“Well, I think it was ‘cause I was pissed off.” she blushed. “And worried. It wasn’t intentional. I just… blocked, then I felt the static and heard the crackle, and then we made contact and it just… exploded. I think somehow I unconsciously infused lightening into the sword.” Harmony said, her voice full of wonder. “But I can’t do it again! It’s against the rules! I can’t use magic to really hurt people! I’ve already done it twice, not counting the glamours I’ve shown you guys.” She started to panic.

Yazoo put his hands on her shoulders, drawing her attention to him. “Hey, stop that. It’s alright. It was an accident. A very… powerful… accident.” He put a hand under her chin to force her to make eye contact. “Listen to me. I know you aren’t going to like it, but I think this is something you need to work on mastering. Only-” He said more loudly when she started to protest. “Only… so that if nothing else, you can stop it from happening. Do you understand?”

Harmony nodded reluctantly. Yazoo drew his gun and extracted his Cure Materia. “Here.” he said, handing it to Kadaj. The younger Remnant used it to close the cuts on his arm. He then stood and walked to Harmony, holding out his hand for her to take.

“Even though it wasn’t intentional, you’re still the only person who’s ever drawn blood, other than Cloud, and my brothers. Accidental or not, its something you should be proud of.” 

Harmony pulled her hand out of his grasp. “I’m still really sorry. I could have really hurt you. We both could have been blown into unrecognizable bits.”

“Hey,” Kadaj said. “Look. The materia fixed it. It’s fine.” He walked to the tree where their weapons were stacked and grasped Harmony’s sword, identical to his own. He handed it to her, and took his own from her hand. “Let’s start with what you already know. Katas. Both of us.”

Harmony nodded, glad that he wasn’t wanting to just jump right back into combat. The two of them made their way to a clear spot in the meadow and Kadaj fell into stance, motioning for Harmony to follow his movements. There were a few that she wasn’t familiar with, but Kadaj was pleased when she picked it up quickly and soon the two were caught in a deadly dance, swinging, slashing and jabbing at imaginary opponents.

“Your wrist is loose. Weak wrists are dangerous during battle.” He stepped closer to her. “Here. Like this.” He ran his hand down her arm to her wrist, straightening it out and telling her to create resistance when he tried to bend it.

She blushed at his touch, glancing at his still-bare torso. For a moment she was lost in thought, thinking about how amazing that bare skin had felt against hers. She jolted to awareness when Kadaj cleared his throat. His eyes were sparkling with amusement when she caught them.

“Be careful,” He warned. “I’m still your teacher, and I’m not above using your… distractions… against you.”

‘Oh yeah?’ Harmony though with an internal snicker, ‘Two can play that game, and neither am I.’

 

About an hour after starting the katas, Kadaj bullied Harmony into a sparring match.

“But I’m nowhere near as good as you are! You’ll beat me in a second!” She protested.

“Maybe.” Kadaj allowed. “Would you rather fight me, knowing that the worst you’ll have to deal with is maybe a couple of bruises, or would you rather hold off until a real enemy attacks you and you have no chance at beating them?”

Harmony scowled, but raised her sword in a defensive stance.

“Look,” Kadaj said. “You can learn from me kicking your ass, or you can learn from him kicking your ass.” He gestured behind her, and she turned. Sephiroth was sitting on a low branch watching the two. He smirked and made a sweeping motion with his hand, waving, it seemed.

“Okay.” Harmony said, laughing nervously. “Kick my ass, Master.”

Kadaj suppressed a shudder at her calling him ‘Master’ and caught her smirk. ‘Tricksy, clever girl.’ he thought. He smirked and nodded his head toward her, motioning for her to attack him.

Harmony took a deep breath and charged. At the last moment, she dove to the ground in a split, sweeping the blade low to connect with his legs. Kadaj jumped over, flipping through the air. When he landed, he immediately went for her. He drew his arm out, slashing sideways and listening to the satisfying ‘clash!’ of metal as their blades met. He held nothing back, spinning and slashing faster than Harmony could keep up.

A sudden thought struck her and she allowed a well-placed slash to tear her shirt at the neckline. Kadaj jumped back, fearing that he had cut her.

“Oh dear.” Harmony said in a sultry voice. “You’ve ruined my shirt, I guess I’ll have to take it off.” She did as she said, tearing the garment right down the middle and slipping it off of her shoulders.

She wore nothing but tight, black-glitter spandex capris and a pink sports bra.

‘Oh, shit.’ Kadaj thought. He began to sweat, but knew he couldn’t back out. The little minx knew exactly what she was doing.

She rushed him, throwing her blade out in a wide arc that came closer than she had ever before that. He spun around again, deflecting each blow with relative ease… until his supernatural eyesight caught a single bead of sweat disappearing into her cleavage. He was transfixed, going through the motions automatically, but not really paying attention.

This earned him a hard knock to the side of the head with the hilt of Harmony’s sword. The blow knocked him off balance enough for her to kick him off of his feet, but just as she was about to pounce on him, he lashed out and swiped her feet out from under her. Knocking her sword out of her hand, the two rolled in the grass, fighting for the dominant position.

Kadaj managed to roll her onto her stomach, mimicking the submission hold she taught Loz and pinning her to the ground before she could scramble away from him.

“Ow! Jesus Christ!” Harmony shouted.

“Give up?” Kadaj said, leaning down and nipping at her ear.

“Ugh. Fine. Get off me!”

“Hm. Says your mouth. Your body says otherwise.”

He was right, the bastard. She was wet, she could feel it.

“Get. Off.” She said through gritted teeth.

“With all these people around?” Kadaj teased.

Harmony spluttered, horrified. “Get off me Kadaj!”

He laughed and did as he was told. Helping her to her feet, he pulled her close so no one could hear him. “Its your own fault for taking your clothes off. Wicked little tease.”


	15. Magically Refreshed

Chapter 15

 

Harmony was in a foul mood for the rest of the day, her interaction with Kadaj weighing heavily on her mind. She appreciated the fact that he was not going any further than she was comfortable with, but frustrated with the fact that he seemed to know her boundaries even better than she did. 

The group had been back at the cabin for a few hours, and Harmony made sure that dinner was eaten and cleaned up. Still, she found herself wanting to go back to the meadow. Night was creeping in, and she longed to watch the moon rise in all her glory. Just to have a few minutes of peace, so she could pretend her life was normal again.

She knew a full moon would rise shortly, and thought that just maybe, a cleansing ritual would help clear her head. She grabbed her canvas bag and filled it with the tools and items she would need, before throwing it over her shoulder and her black witch’s cloak across her back. It was bound to get a little chilly later.

She then crept into the kitchen and quietly opened the liquor cabinet, removing a bottle of rum and tucking it safely into her canvas bag.

“Guys, I’m going back to the meadow for a bit. Stick around the general vicinity, please.” She called as she made her way to the door, preparing for the onslaught of ‘You shouldn’ts’ and ‘Its lates’.

She never heard anything of the sort.

“May I join you, Harmony?” Yazoo asked politely. Harmony couldn’t say know when he was being so nice, and she nodded her head. Maybe he would get a kick out of seeing an actual Wiccan rite.

“Me too.” Kadaj said, standing and walking to her. He looked her dead in the eye, waiting for her consent.

Harmony sighed internally. It was really Kadaj she wanted space from. But-she supposed-maybe being away from all of the others would give them a chance to talk. She trusted Yazoo enough to allow him to witness any words than may pass between the two of them.

“Alright. Let’s go.” With that, she led the two out the door and through the forest trails. 

“Are you alright, Hari?” Yazoo asked when they were a safe distance from the cabin.

She spared him a glance, but kept walking. “I’m fine. Just restless.”

“If you’re worried about your magic-” He started.

“No. Its not that. Well, that’s a part of it, but only a small part.” She interrupted.

“Then what is it?” Harmony looked ahead and let her gaze linger on the man that walked across the tree branches a good distance ahead. Yazoo followed her line of sight. “I see. What has he done to upset you, if I may ask?”

Harmony sighed. “Its not that. I just… I don’t know what he wants. I don’t know what I want. I don’t know what I’m doing!” She paused to quiet herself when Kadaj looked behind him to see what the shouting was about. She forced a smile and waved, making him believe she and Yazoo were joking around.

“What do you expect to happen?” Yazoo said, looking at the trail in front of him as fireflies began dotting the air.

“I expect that he’ll get what he wants from me-because God only knows I can’t seem to retain any rational thought when he’s around-and then you’ll all go back to your world. And I’ll be here. Alone. Remembering.” She tried to keep her voice level, but she knew she failed when Yazoo cast a worried look in her direction.

“I see. Understandable. What if he chose to remain here?” He asked.

“He can’t. None of you can. You don’t belong in this world. Who knows what the repercussions would be if you never went back? What if something is going to happen that you need to be there for, and you’re not?” Harmony reasoned.

Yazoo sighed softly. She was right. “What if-”

“What if I came with you?” Harmony cut him off. “We face the same issue. I am not from your world. I don’t belong there. You guys are not from my world, you don’t belong here.”

“What if we ‘belong’ wherever we want to belong?” Came a voice from directly in front of her. She started. She hadn’t even noticed Kadaj make his way back to them. He stared into her eyes, trying desperately to see into her soul. Without another word, the Remnant turned his back and waltzed ahead of them, leaving the young witch to think about his statement.

Harmony’s mouth dropped open, moving and trying to find the words that would not come.

“Don’t think about it right now.” Yazoo said, soothingly. “Why don’t we just get to the meadow. What’s in the bag?” He motioned to the canvas bag hanging from her shoulder.

“I was going to so a cleansing ritual. Try to get my energy back into balance, y’know?”

Yazoo suddenly looked uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. We’re intruding. I’ll get Kadaj and we’ll go ba-”

“No, its okay.” Harmony cut in. “You guys can stick around. You might find it interesting.”

The smirk that appeared made Yazoo a little nervous, but he would not back down. He was not a coward.

They walked in quiet companionship until they reached the meadow, where the sight that Harmony found almost had her drooling.

Kadaj stood in the center of the meadow, shirtless with his double-bladed sword held in his outstretched hand. His eyes were closed and his expression serene. His body began to move in a graceful and violent dance.

 

Yazoo watched Harmony’s face as she took in the sight of his younger brother doing his katas. She looked positively drugged. He cleared his throat and smirked when Harmony looked at him and had the decency to blush.

“Kadaj!” He called. “Harmony is going to perform a ritual. Put your clothes back on and keep out of her way.”

“Oh not. You could leave your shirt off.” Harmony muttered, flushing when she realized that Yazoo heard her remark.

“What kind of ritual?” Kadaj asked curiously, pulling his t-shirt back over his head and making his way to the two.

“It’s a cleansing ritual. It’ll help me balance my energy and hopefully help me sort out my feelings.” Harmony said, looking away from the bright emerald eyes.

Harmony scurried about the center of the meadow, setting large crystal balls at five points around her. When she finished, she stepped outside of the circle she’d created, running a line of salt between each crystal to the next. When her circle was complete, she turned to the two men watching her intently.

“Okay guys. Here’s where it gets tricky. This ritual is performed nude.” She said, matter-of-factly.

Yazoo choked. “Uh-! Excuse me?!”

“Don’t worry. You guys aren’t part of the rite, so you don’t have to take your clothes off.” She grinned. “I’ll be wearing my ceremonial cloak, so you won’t see much. I just didn’t want to freak you out.”

“I wouldn’t say it ‘freaks me out’.” Kadaj muttered. Yazoo elbowed him and Harmony disappeared into the tree line for a few moments, returning in nothing but her long black cloak.

She carefully lit each candle that sat atop the large crystals that made her circle.

The men watched in awe as the light spread into a thin veil, meeting in a dome shape above the center of the circle. Harmony smirked in their direction and stepped into the veil, the light enfolding her body and cutting her off from the outside world.

She raised her arms to the sky in prayer, giving herself over to be accepted by her Goddess. Taking a deep breath, she called out to the moon as it rose to bathe the meadow in its soft silver light.

“Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East; powers of Wind and Invention! Hear me!” She cried.

A slight breeze wisped through the meadow, circling around the circle before vanishing into nothing.

“Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South; powers of Fire and Feeling! Hear me!”

The flames of the candles grew to twice their size.

“Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West; powers of Water and Intuition! Hear me!”

The two spectators watched in awe as dark clouds began forming from nothing right above the meadow. Yazoo started, shocked, as a droplet of water hit his skin before the clouds began to shower the meadow.

“Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North; powers of Mother and Earth! Hear me!”

At this point, the wind picked up once more, the flames of the candles grew to almost Harmony’s height, and the rain pelted the bodies in the meadow. Hearing a strange rustling, Kadaj stared open-mouthed as tiny rocks seemed to roll from the trees to the circle.

“Uphold the rules of the wiccan rede.  
Be high in spirit ye shall succeed.  
Power of the elements five,  
Will help Mother Nature stay alive.  
From grains of Earth to the moving Air.  
Past the burning Fire that magick flares.  
Flow with water, lakes, and streams;  
Around the spirits aura and dreams.

O great Mother Goddess and Father God,  
You who are all yet nothing.  
Beyond explanation and understanding.  
I ask thee to grant my request this night.  
I ask that you take the negativity that was sent to me,  
And send it swirling into the Universe.  
Let it be sent back to the sender three fold,  
With loving, caring, healing positive energy.  
I ask that you grant this request.  
I also thank Thee for your kindness and caring attention.  
I ask this in the power of three  
So mote it be!

Strength of Day  
Strength of Night  
Give me Strength  
Beyond my sight!”

Yazoo and Kadaj found themselves deeply moved by the words Harmony spoke, and with the movements her body made. Her arms were straight out to her sides, palms facing down and her upper body moved in a circle, back and forth, back and forth. Her head rolled on her neck with the movements, making her meditative dance flow like liquid.

She sat in silence after her chant, rocking back and forth. The elements swirled around her, pushing her exotic dance to the extreme. Harmony’s rocking stopped. She reached out and took hold of her chalice and poured a good portion of the rum into it. Replacing the lid on the bottle, she held the chalice high, smiling when the liquid seemed to float from the cup in a quick moving stream.

All at once, it was over. The rain stopped, the flames died down, the wind vanished, the rocks seemed to melt into the earth, and the rum from the goblet splashed into the grass, absorbing into the ground immediately. Harmony drew a deep breath with a smile on her face, and on the exhale, the golden veil surrounding her slowly melted down to the ground. 

Harmony stood still, basking in the glow of the moon for a moment before leaning down and snuffing each flame out. She then gathered the crystals, the chalice, her athame, and the silver pentacle from inside the circle and deposited them in her bag. She left the rum out, intending to relax with a few drinks before she and the Remnants made their way back o the cabin.

She turned back to the men, wondering what they thought of witnessing their very first Wiccan ritual. Before she even had the chance to ask, Kadaj spoke.

“That was amazing!” He said, standing and taking her hands in his. “I’ve never seen anything like that!”

“I agree.” Yazoo said. “That was fascinating. I never dreamed that a person could summon the elements without Materia.”

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Now you see that the power is more than just glamour. Its healing. You cannot imagine how refreshed I feel.”

“Can it be done for others?” Yazoo asked.

“Well, I’ve never done it for another person, but it can be done.” Harmony answered. She smiled. “For right now, I can help relax you in other ways.” She held up the bottle of rum and swirled the contents.

Kadaj let out an uncharacteristic ‘whoop’ and grabbed the bottle from her hand, unscrewing the lid and bringing the bottle to his lips. After a healthy swig, he handed the bottle to Yazoo, challenging, it seemed.

Yazoo scowled and took the bottle, matching Kadaj’s shot and shaking his head as he swallowed the burning liquid.

“Well alright!” Harmony cheered, taking the bottle. “Let’s do this!” She raised the bottle to her lips and doubled the amount that the men had downed. “Whoo!” She said. She handed the bottle back to Kadaj and jogged into the tree line once more. She returned a few seconds later with an armload of dry wood, tossing the pile down and throwing a few pieces into the fire pit. She smirked at the Remnants and raised her hand, letting a small stream of fire flow from her fingertips. It was brighter and more vibrant than the first time she showed them her fire.

As the fire crackled to life in the pit, the three gathered around it, Kadaj on one side, Yazoo on the other, and Harmony in the middle.

“Aren’t you going to put your clothes back on?” Yazoo asked, already feeling a little light-headed. Alcohol was not something he really indulged in, and for good reason. He was such a light-weight.

“Nope.” Harmony answered, ending the word with a loud ‘Pop!’ 

“I never pictured you for one to gallivant naked before your lover and his brother.” Yazoo commented.

“Normally, I wouldn’t. But the ritual makes one feel so relaxed. Its like every worry you’ve ever had flies out the window, without drugs or other harmful things.” Harmony smiled. “I feel so free right now!” She took the bottle from Kadaj and downed another shot, handing it to Yazoo. “Come on, get with it, Bud.”

He grimaced, but did as he was told.

Before long, the rather large bottle was nearly empty, and the three were cackling around the campfire.

“Okay, okay, I have an idea.” Harmony said. The two men shushed comically and tried very hard to concentrate on which Harmony was the real one. “I’m the only one naked, and I say we change that.” She stated matter-of-factly.

“And how do you intend to force me to remove my clothes?” Yazoo slurred slightly.

“A game. Both of you. I will ask a riddle, and if neither of you can answer it, you lose one item of clothing.” She chuckled at the looks of excitement and trepidation on their faces.

Kadaj broke the silence, reaching out to shake her hand. “Deal.” He said.

“Oh alright.” Yazoo agreed.

“Excellent.” Harmony’s eyes took on an almost wicked glow. “First riddle: You can’t keep it until you have given it.”

Kadaj and Yazoo looked at each other. Kadaj shrugged his shoulders not knowing the answer. Yazoo thought long and hard. He wasn’t quite ready to lose his clothes.

‘Can’t keep it unless you’ve given it…’ He thought. Still, the answer did not come. ‘Mark my words,’ he thought, ‘If she makes a fool of me I will embarrass her so bad her skin will never lose the flush! Wait a minute! That’s it!’

“Your word.” He answered with a smile. “You can’t keep your word until you’ve given it!”

“Very good. Lets up the stakes. From now on, the one who doesn’t answer has to lose something.”

They nodded their approval.

“Very good. Next riddle: If you have three cups of sugar, and you take one away, how many cups of sugar do you have?”

“That’s easy: Two.” Kadaj answered quickly.

Harmony looked at Yazoo. “Do you agree?”

He thought a moment, then nodded.

“Wrong.” Harmony said with a smirk. “If you have three cups of sugar, and you take one away, you do not have two cups. You have one. The one to took.”

Kadaj and Yazoo looked at each other in shock, and then let wide smiled overtake their features. At the same time, they both pulled their t-shirts over their heads, casting them to the side, and looking to Harmony for the next riddle.

“Excellent.” She sang. This was going to be fun.


	16. Sassafrass Flint

Chapter 16

Harmony awoke once again to a warm feeling of protection. She rolled over in arms she knew belonged to Kadaj and then snuggled back down into her mattress.

Mattress?

She opened her eyes. Warm cream colored blankets and pale, pale skin met her vision. She and Kadaj were cuddled closely under the covers of her bed. 

What the hell?! The last thing she remembered was playing a strange form of a drunken stripping game around the campfire in the meadow. How did she get back into her bed?

She shook her head in confusion and Kadaj gave an irritated sigh in his sleep. He must have been really drunk if her movements hadn’t already awoken him. She shifted a little bit more and then immediately stilled when her hip brushed against a hard warmth and Kadaj let out a small moan. She looked up to find him staring at her.

“Careful.” He rumbled, looking down his perfect nose, his cat eyes lazy and full of lust.

Harmony was overtaken by the need to hear him moan like that again. She scooted closer to him, smiling when his arms tightened and drew he her in for a soft kiss. Taking the initiative for the for the first time, she slid her mouth from his to place wet, lingering kisses on his throat.

“Mm.” Kadaj gave a contented sigh, running his hand down her side before coming to rest at her hip.

His soft reactions and gentle caress gave her courage. She slowly trailed her hand down his bare chest and dipped into his boxers. He jerked and groaned when she wrapped her hand around his shaft and gave him one firm stroke.

“Harmony!” He gasped, turning over onto his back and grasping her hand. “What are you doing?!”

Harmony snorted and pulled against his grip. “What do you think?” She rolled over on top of him and sat up a little bit, cupping his jaw in her free hand and gently drawing his bottom lip between her teeth.

Kadaj was utterly shocked to see Harmony taking initiative. However, he was a man. An aroused man. And he was not about stop her. This was a very good sign. He released Harmony’s hand and hissed as she stroked him again, her grip tighter than before.

“Oh Gods, Harmony…” Kadaj moaned. He trailed his hands down her back and bucked into her grip. “You feel so amazing…”

Harmony rolled them over and pulled him on top of her, wrapping her legs around his waist and continuing her long strokes. His hand snaked between them and into her panties, long fingers immediately coming to flick and stroke at her clit. She instantly felt a gush of slick wetness leave her body and she moaned, arching against him and tightening her legs around his waist.

“Kadaj…” she whispered, using her free hand to pull his face down to hers. “I want all of you. Please?”

Kadaj let out a muted sound of compliance, and instead of slipping her panties off of her, he pulled his hand away and pushed her panties off to the side. He paused as she placed his erection at her opening, looking into her eyes for one last confirmation. Harmony said nothing, just angled her hips to allow the tip of his hardness to slip inside her.

Kadaj let out a cry and surged forward, buying himself all the way to the hilt.

“Oh God!” Harmony keened. “Move, move, move!” she chanted, bucking against him and moaning when he pulled out of her and thrust back inside. She closed her eyes as Kadaj leaned down and nipped at her ear, still making shallow thrusts inside her.

“You’re mine!” He hissed. Harmony froze. That was not Kadaj’s voice. “You’ll always be mine. You will never be free of me, Witch. I’ll never let you go!”

Harmony opened her eyes and felt as though all of the oxygen had been sucked from the earth.

Jade lay atop her, his dark eyes glowing with malice and wicked intent.

“No!” Harmony whimpered. “Stop!”

Jade let out a wicked laugh and wrapped his hand around her throat, squeezing the breath from her body. “You think that little shit-head can save you? He’ll never have you, I’ll kill you first!”

 

“No!” Harmony screamed, bolting upright. The blankets fell down to reveal that she was fully clothed and unharmed. She instantly felt warm arms surround her, holding her tightly to a firm chest. She struggled to escape the grip, screaming and snarling.

The arms left her and she dove off the bed, whirling around to face her attacker and nearly sobbing in relief when a very worried looking Kadaj met her gaze.

“Harmony? What is it?” Came a voice from her right. Yazoo was laying in the second bed in her room, disheveled from sleep and what looked like a nasty hang-over. She looked back at Kadaj. He had one hand hesitantly stretched toward her, a confused expression on his face.

She fell to her knees, the stress of the nightmare finally taking its toll. In an instant, both men were on their knees beside her. Kadaj crouched in front of her, wrapping his arms around her once more as she shivered, and Yazoo next to her with a hand on her shoulder.

“What happened?” Kadaj asked.

“It was a nightmare.” Harmony gasped. “I woke up in bed with you… and rolled over and we started…” She glanced at Yazoo and blushed, “…you know. And when you were inside me… you started to whisper in my ear… but it wasn’t you. It was Jade’s voice. And when I opened my eyes… It was him. He told me…” She trailed off and sniffled, covering her eyes with the palms of her hands and trying to regain composure.

“Told you…?” Yazoo prodded.

Harmony took a deep, cleansing breath, telling herself it was only a dream, and that these men wouldn’t hurt her. She knew they wouldn’t. She felt it. “He told me that I will never be yours.” Kadaj nodded for her to continue. “He told me that he would never let me go. That he would kill me before he let you have me.”

Kadaj and Yazoo were silent for a moment, each trying to think of a way to comfort the young woman.

“Have you had dreams like this before?” Yazoo asked, pulling Harmony to her feet and, along with Kadaj, leading her to sit on the bed.

“I used to have them all the time after it happened. Sassi helped me get past them. She’s-” Harmony hesitated, not sure how much she should tell them about her coven-sister. “-special.”

“Who is Sassi?” Kadaj asked, thinking to take her mind off the nightmare long enough to let it fade from memory.

Harmony gave a slight smile. “She’s my best friend, my coven-sister.” Her smile fell. “I wish she were here.”

A sudden thought struck her. “How did we get back to the cabin?”

“I carried you back, Yazoo followed. It was too cold for you. I woke up and you were shivering.” Kadaj looked at the bedside clock. “It was only a couple of hours ago, actually.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Thank you very much for coming, Sir. I hope to work together again soon.” The pretty redhead said to the older man as she shook his hand.

“Miss Flint.” Said the next in line. The pale, freckle-faced woman shook the hand of each man or woman as they filed out of her office.

“Phew, what a day!” She sighed as she plopped down into her lavish office chair. She toyed with the star-shaped necklace she wore, closing her eyes and attempting to center herself.

‘I wish she were here.’ 

The voice rang loudly in her mind. The woman’s eyes snapped open and she sat up, rigid. She lifted a lace-gloved hand and removed the material, and then trailed her fingers across a picture on her desk. Suddenly, a deep feeling of fear and dread over took her senses. The woman gasped, scrambling through her pockets and finally pulling out her cell phone. She dialed the number with shaking fingers.

“Come on, honey. Pick up the phone!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Harmony started, making the bed jerk as her cell phone started ringing. She picked the device up off of her nightstand, giving an almost maniacal laugh as the saw the caller ID. She pressed ‘Talk’ and brought the phone to her ear.

“Sassi…” She said, the name coming out as a relieved sob.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Alright. Yeah, bring coffee. Oh-! And croissants! Lots of them! And ice cream. And don’t forget extra cream-fine, fine! Yeah, I’ll see you in a few hours. But um… That company I told you about? Don’t sneak up on them, ‘kay?” Harmony said into her cell phone. She waited for an affirmative answer. “Okay. Drive safe. Yup, you too. ‘Bye.” With a sigh she snapped her phone closed. All was quiet in the room, several of the men having joined them as they heard her on the phone. Harmony’s voice shattered the silence as she broke out into near hysterical laughter. The men weren’t even sure if it was laughter. It could have been sobs.

She saw the uncomfortable looks of confusion on their faces and offered explanation. “Sassi’s coming! I haven’t seen her in years!”

“Who is Sassi?” Loz asked.

“My best friend. My sister. My mother. You be nice to her!!” she said quickly, pointing her finger at each of the men.

“Easy there, kiddo, we’ll be nice.” Cid drawled. Harmony stood and ushered the men out of her room, closing the door and following them down into the den.

“Something you should know. She’s not far away, she’ll be here in about three hours. Don’t touch her. I’ll let her explain why if she feels she trusts you enough to tell you. Just don’t touch her, or she’ll kick your ass.”

Kadaj snorted. “Like she could.”

Harmony only arched an eyebrow. “Whatever, Whack Job. She‘s not as against using her magic as I am.” She heaved a sigh and looked around the cabin. “This place is a wreck. If she sees it like this she’ll kick my ass, that’s for sure!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“How do you work this thing?” Cloud asked Cid as he stared at the vacuum.

“How the hell should I know, Chocobo Head?!” The rough pilot shot back. “Just push some buttons ‘til it works!”

“You do it. You’re married.” Cloud said, shoving the machine into Cid’s hands.

“So’re you!” He said, shoving it back at him.

“Harmony! I’m done mopping the kitchen! What should I do next?” Zack called, walking into the den.

Cloud and Cid zeroed in on him, and Zack felt a cold chill take his body.

“Oh, shit.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The next nearly three hours were spent cleaning the cabin, and the men. Harmony slumped down on the couch after her shower. She was dressed in an orange peasant skirt with a white tank top, wanting nothing more than comfort. Loz plopped down next to her.

“So why would your friend be upset if someone touched her?” He asked.

Harmony glanced at him. “Not my place to tell.” She said simply.

Loz was intrigued. Who was this woman that Harmony spoke so fondly of? Surely she was a good person if Harmony was so close to her?

Kadaj and Yazoo joined them next, followed slowly by the rest of the group as the men showered and changed one at a time. Vincent let Hojo out of the basement and followed him to sit outside the bathroom as the scientist took his turn in the shower.

“So, what’s your friend like?” Angeal asked. Harmony laughed.

“She’s fiery.” Was all she said before the distinct sound of crunching gravel met their ears.

Harmony was a blur of movement as she flew out the door.

The men followed at a more controlled pace, watching the big black SUV pull into the driveway as Harmony bounced on the heels of her feet. Before the vehicle had even come to a complete stop, Harmony was racing to the driver’s side window. The tinted glass rolled down to reveal a large silver thermos with red hair. Correction, the thermos was held by a pale hand in front of a redheaded woman with a splash of freckles across the bridge of her nose.

“Hey, Freako.” The woman smirked.

“Hey, Creeper.” Harmony responded with a grin. She gestured to the large thermos the woman held. "Is that what I think it is?"

The woman grinned broadly, holding the thermos out. "Steaming hot Caramel Brulee Latte, extra shot, breve."

“I. Love. You.”

 

The men watched the conversation from their place on the deck. Harmony seemed to still for a moment before tilting her head to the side in a curious manner. Suddenly the conversation became hushed, an amused look covering her features. After a few minutes, the redhead opened her door. At that moment, the three other doors of the vehicle opened as well, and out stepped the five people that they least expected to see.


	17. The Welcome Home Party

Chapter 17

 

No one paid attention to Harmony as she threw her arms around her best friend. They were all breathless with shock at seeing the faces that they weren’t sure they’d ever see again.

“Tifa!” Cloud called, rushing to a tall, dark haired woman and sweeping her into his arms. “Cloud!” She called back.

Cloud wasn’t the only one rushing to the truck. However, unlike Cloud, Zack skidded to a halt before he reached a pretty brunette wearing a pink dress.

“Is it really you?” He asked, almost timidly. The woman smiled sweetly and nodded her head, closing the distance between them and placing her hands on his chest.

Harmony was deeply touched by the reverence in Zack’s voice when he finally pulled her into his arms and whispered her name.

“Aerith…” At that word, the commotion stopped, Cloud looking up from Tifa, Cid and Vincent looked away from a small, energetic woman, Reno, Rufus, Tseng, and Rude turned away from the blonde woman, and auburn haired woman they were whispering to, and they all stared at the young SOLDIER.

Cloud spared a glance at Tifa, and at her nod of encouragement, he stepped away from her and towards his friend and the smaller woman.

“Aerith.” He said, his voice slightly shaking.

“Hello, Cloud.” She said. “Its been a long time.”

“Uh, guys,” Harmony called, softly. “Lets go inside and give these three a moment, shall we?” She turned to the redhead, Sassi. “You can introduce me to your friends, and tell me more about how you found them.”

Sassi made her way to the trailer she’d pulled and began unloading the bags, when a large hand tapped her on the shoulder. She flinched, reminding herself that she was wearing a long sleeved shirt, and turned. A large blonde haired man was staring at her, sheepish, it seemed. He was flanked by two other very pretty men.

“Um. Hi. I’m Loz. We can take care of this for you.” He said, his cheeks coloring in what look suspiciously like a blush.

“Oh, thank you! That would be great!” Sassi said with a bright smile.

The group made their way into the house, the visiting women eyeing the Remnants warily, especially the blonde woman.

“Guys,” Harmony started, “This is Sassi Flint. My coven-sister, and the closest thing to a real sister I have.”

Sassi smiled and nodded to the men, her eyes lingering on Loz probably longer than they should have. “Hi guys!” She said. The men noticed a light, barely-there accent, but none of them could place it. “Har, this is Tifa.” She said, pulling Tifa closer to Harmony, careful not to touch her skin. She extended her hand and shook Harmony’s in a tight grip. Harmony smiled warmly and nodded her head in greeting.

“I’m Yuffie. Yuffie Kisaragi. The greatest ninja of all time, Single White Rose of Wutai!” The smallest woman said loudly, shaking Harmony’s hand with enough force to bruise.

“Hello, Yuffie.” Harmony said with a wince. This one was going to be a handful, she just knew it. She walked down the line.

“Cissnei Embers.” Said the woman with auburn hair. “I’m a Turk.” Harmony nodded and glanced at the male turks behind her. “They tell me I’ve been missing for years, but the last thing I remember is telling Reno and Rude to keep looking for Zack before-” She cut herself off and gazed at Rufus, as if blaming him for his father’s transgressions. The blonde woman stepped forward, laying her hand on Cissnei’s shoulder and pulling her back, sending her a quick, sympathetic glance. She then looked at Harmony.

“Elena Sazo. I am also a Turk.”

“And the woman outside with the two dudes is Aerith.” Sassi explained. “I’d like to talk to you about her.”

Harmony nodded and turned to introduce each of the men. She pointed them out in a line, naming them off one by one.

At that point, Cloud entered the cabin, followed by Zack and Aerith. Cloud went to Tifa and embraced her from behind, laying his head on her shoulder.

Zack dragged Aerith in, where she waved good naturedly to the other men, including Sephiroth, whom Harmony could tell was fighting not to shy away from her. Harmony vowed to corner him and talk to him about the guilt he seemed to harbor, this being the second time he’d had a negative reaction where the young woman was concerned.

Zack eagerly offered a calloused hand to Sassi in greeting. She stared at his outstretched limb as if it were a poisonous insect. Zack began to feel uncomfortable as this petite woman scrutinized him and he let his hand fall back to his side. Sassi quickly pulled her glove back on and snatched his hand, pumping it hard a few times.

“Uh…okay. Nice to meet you. I’m Zack. Sorry. I forgot.” Zack said to Harmony. She rolled her eyes and stepped toward Aerith to introduce herself. The moment their hands touched, Harmony nearly dropped to the floor. The power coursing through the small woman was overwhelming.

“I told you.” Sassi said with a smirk as Harmony caught her gaze.

“What are you?!” Harmony whispered in awe.

“She’s an Ancient.” Hojo said from behind the group, his voice full of twisted excitement. “A part of a powerful people from long ag-” His words cut off with a choke as a pale hand wrapped around his throat. His wrinkled hands gripped the arm connected to the hand, but could not remove the appendage from his neck.

The large group watched in awe as the imposing form of Sephiroth dragged the scientist by the throat and all but threw him into the basement. It seemed the Great General had finally run out of patience with the greasy professor.

“Uh… Well. That was…informative. Say Hari, want to help me set up my tent?” Sassi said, trying to smoothly change the subject.

“Tent?” Loz cut in, wanting the pretty redhead to notice him. No tent! He wanted her to be close to him! She was pretty!

“Yes, tent.” Sassi said. “I know its strange, its my house, but I don’t like sleeping here.”

“Your house?” Loz said, shocked, “You own the cabin?!” He looked around frantically, spotting an empty soda can on the floor. He subtly nudged it under the sofa with his foot.

Sassi caught the movement and bit her tongue to hide her laughter. “Yes, I own the cabin. My… parents… left it to me. So Hari, how about it?”

“Sure.” Harmony agreed, knowing that it would give the two time to talk about Aerith, and Hojo as well. Harmony was also anxious to talk to her best friend about Kadaj.

Sassi would know what to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Toss me your pole.” Sassi said. She paused and closed her eyes, silently repeating the line to herself.

“Did you just tell me to toss you my pole?” Harmony said, laughing. “Oh my!”

Sassi smiled and rolled her eyes. “Oh shut up, you know what I meant! The tent rod!”

“Oh, now its my tented rod.”

Sassi growled jokingly and snatched the metal piece from Harmony’s hand, snapping it into place.

“So what’s the deal with the black haired guy. He can’t take his eyes off of you.” Sassi said, casting a glance at Kadaj as he reclined on the porch swing.

“It would be easier to show you.” Harmony said, cringing and preparing to be chastised. The two women lifted the canvas, sliding it over the frame before snapping another pole in place.

“Oh, Har. You know I hate doing that!”

“I know, I’m sorry! But really, there’s too much to tell. Just-” she paused and stuck out her hand. “-here. Please.”

Sassi sighed, resigned, and pulled her glove off, intertwining her bare fingers with Harmony’s.

The scenes flashed before Sassi’s eyes like a film in fast forward, from the moment Kadaj took Harmony from the beach, until the first night that he came to her ro- “Eeeew, Har, too much! Pay attention to what you want me to see!”

“Oops,” Harmony said sheepishly, “Sorry.”

“Well, at least most of my questions are answered. Hojo seems like a real Mad Scientist, if you catch the pun.” Harmony was already laughing by the end of the sentence. “What?” Sassi asked, confused. “What did I say that was funny?”

“That’s what I call him. To his face!” Sassi snickered at that.

“Doesn’t surprise me. Great minds and all. So. Would you like to tell me about Kadaj?”

At the blunt statement, Harmony sobered. “Well… as you can see, we’re kind of… something. I’m not sure what we are.” Harmony said.

“And tell me- and don’t say I already saw it, because I want you to talk it out -why are you against anything happening between you?”

“Well, when all this is over, I’m hoping to be able to send them home. I don’t want to get attached and fall in love with a guy that I know will never see again.” Harmony looked away, unable to keep eye contact with the woman whom had been more like a mother and a sister to her than her own family.

“Sweetie, have you thought about the possibility that maybe you already have?”

“Yes.” Harmony said quietly. Sensing that Harmony really wasn’t in the mood to talk about her relationship with Kadaj- if it could even be called a relationship -Sassi changed the subject, trying to cheer her up.

“So what’s with the big guy?” She asked. “The one with the blonde hair… Loz? Is that it?”

Harmony glanced up at Sassi and smirked. She had a very interested look on her face. If one can look interested and innocent at the same time, that is.

“Loz, yeah. Well, you saw it all. He’s a Remnant of Sephiroth. Hojo’s experiments.” She explained when Sassi gave her a confused look. “He’s actually a big teddy bear- when he’s not fighting. That man can move faster than anyone you’ve ever met, or could ever imagine meeting.”

“You sound impressed. Excited, almost. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think my gift was wrong, and its Loz you’re mackin’ on!” Sassi teased.

Harmony laughed. “I’ve fought him.” She said. “Kicked his ass, too, but I think it was just luck. I haven’t been able to beat him since. He’s a pretty good guy. Sensitive, too.”

“And he looks great without a shirt on…” Sassi sighed, remembering what she saw in Harmony’s memory.

“Perv.” Harmony teased.

“Hey, you’re the one who’s basically sleeping with the company.”

Harmony choked on her tongue. “I have not slept with him!” She squealed. “You know that!” At her distressed voice, Kadaj hopped off of the porch swing and over the porch rail. He sauntered over to the tent and was shocked when angry storm clouds swarmed the sky. Almost immediately, heavy raindrops began falling from the sky and soaking the tent, as the girls had not yet put the tarp over it.

“Damnit, Harmony! Why’d you have to go and do that?! I was just joking!” Came Sassi’s voice from inside the tent as the poles gave out and the tent collapsed.

Kadaj was fighting a chuckle as he lifted the canvas and reached in, grabbing a hand and yanking who he thought was Harmony out of the pile of fabric.

It wasn’t.

Sassi gasped as she was overrun with images of a different world. Images of a young boy and girl playing under large, bowed trees with blue fruits that resembled apples. Images of a fire, and then of a small casket being placed into the ground. The images were different than she was used to seeing. She felt like she couldn’t get a good picture. Like watching an old television, where most of what you see and hear is static. She jerked her hand out of his grasp.

‘Oh, shit.’ Kadaj thought. “I’m sorry… I thought I was grabbing Harmony.” Kadaj said, remembering Harmony’s warning not to touch her friend, and fearing he had somehow hurt her. If he hurt Sassi, all the work with Harmony would be for nothing and he’d have to start all over again… if she would allow it.

“No… It’s okay. I really should have put my gloves back on.” She cast a wary glace in his direction, wondering about what she saw. She resolved to ask Harmony about it later. She helped the dark haired woman out of the tent and glared at the cabin, and then at the girl standing next to her.

“I’m sorry!” Harmony said defensively. “I forgot to show you that my magic had been out-of-whack since these guys got here!”

Sassi sighed, deflated. Still, she threw one more glare at Harmony before turning back to the cabin. “I guess I’ll sleep on the deck.”

“Absolutely not!” Harmony said.

“Well what the hell do you expect me to do?!” Sassi’s accent became more prominent. “I can’t sleep in the cabin. You know that! Not unless I’m-”

“-Drunk.” Harmony said with a grin. “We’ll celebrate your arrival.”

Kadaj watched the conversation, his head swiveling back and forth between the women comically.

“That’s… actually a pretty good idea.” Sassi admitted. Then, she lifted her head high, threaded her arm through Harmony’s, and took a deep breath. “Where’s the rum?!” She shouted, marching into the house. Harmony barely had enough time to smile at Kadaj and grasp his arm before she was dragged up the stairs.

‘Well,’ Kadaj mused, ‘this could prove to be advantageous…’

His smirk when they crossed the threshold was almost psychotic.

“We’re having a party!” Sassi called out like she owned the place.

‘Wait…’ Loz thought, ‘She does.’

“What for?” Reno asked, stupidly.

“Because I said so!” Sassi exclaimed as if he should have already known it.

Harmony laughed. “You heard the lady! Move these couches further apart! We’ll need the room. Trust me.” She made a show of putting her hand up to hide her mouth from Sassi’s view. “She dances.” She used her other hand to point at the redhead.

“You’re one to talk, Miss Macarena!”

The group of people looked confused.

“Wait… You don’t know the Macarena?!” Sassi said. They all shook their heads. “Oh! Oh! Un. Acceptable. This will change. Tonight.” It sounded much like a threat.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Reno, shut up! You sound like a dying Nibel Wolf!” Yazoo said, putting the couch pillow over his head.

“No way! We need some tunes in this joint!” The redheaded male shouted, before continuing his horribly off-key singing.

“I got this.” Harmony assured him. She went to the coat closet and pulled out a large music player, along with a large book of disks.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe that’s still here!” Sassi crowed, already well on her way to a good time. Loz sat beside her on the couch and both watched as Harmony went to work setting the music system up and attaching all of the speakers.

Loz looked beside him to stare at the Sassi. From what he had seen of her tonight, her nickname suited her. He had asked for her full name, but she only shot him a dirty look and told him to drop it. Throughout the night, she had loosened up a bit, and Loz was trying his best to flirt with her. He’d seen his brothers do it all the time. Yazoo already had his arm around the other girl Turk, the one he had never seen before. Kadaj was already sharing a room with Harmony. He should be able to do it, too!

He faked a yawn, stretching his arm out to fall across Sassi’s shoulders. She glanced at him, but didn’t try to shrug his arm off. Or punch him. Good deal. He leaned in a bit closer, resting a bit of his weight on her side. Again, she glanced at him but did nothing. Good deal.

Harmony looked at her friend and smirked. Now she could see what it felt like to fall for one of the deadly beauties. She dropped the heavy book of Cds into Sassi’s lap, instructing her to find a good one while she went back to the kitchen to retrieve a few more bottles of liquor.

She went racing back into the den when she heard very familiar music start.

“Baby when the lights… go out… Show you what it’s all… about…” The speakers blasted the upbeat music.

“Oh. My. God.” Harmony said. “I haven’t even thought about these guys in forever!”

“I know.” Sassi snarked.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“No, no.” Harmony said, grabbing Cissnei’s hands. “Its ‘One, two, three…” She continued. Sassi was doing the same thing for Loz, trying to teach them all the Macarena.

Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis, and Vincent were sulking in the corner, unwilling to participate even after being threatened with severe hair loss.

After several minutes of trying to get the group coordinated, Harmony and Sassi gave up. They had exhausted their stereo, the machine now refusing to play any more music.

“Well, someone better sing, or I’m gonna!” Reno threatened.

Kadaj got an almost desperate look on his face. He was already much more intoxicated than he ever remembered being. He placed his hands on Harmony’s shoulders dramatically.

“Sing!” he commanded. Harmony thought for a second.

“Well… What should I sing?”

“Sing something about a glorious battle!” Yuffie said. “One about a kick-ass girl ninja!”

“Um…” Harmony started, “I’m not sure I know any-”

“I know a good one!” Sassi said, jumping up off of Loz’s lap. She ran across the room, only stumbling once or twice, and grabbed a small hard case from the pile of her things. She opened the case to reveal a dark polished violin. Harmony jumped up from the floor where she had been leaning her back against the couch between Kadaj’s knees.

“Alright! Want me to play with you?”

“Sure,” Sassi said, “Get the guitar out of the closet. You know ‘Gunpowder and Lead’, right?”

Harmony scoffed as she was retrieving the instrument. “Of course I do!”

The girls began the song and the group of travelers looked on skeptically, not sure about the music they were hearing- until they reached the chorus.

“Yeah!” Elena cheered, jumping to her feet. Soon, everyone was clapping along and cheering for their hosts. As soon as they finished, Aerith spoke up. She was the only one who had remained sober in the group, and from the moment she stepped into the cabin, she felt the tension between Sassi’s friend, and one of the Remnants. She resolved to help them, and after hearing Harmony and Sassi sing, she knew just the trick.

“I have an idea.” She said softly. Everyone turned their attention to her. “Why don’t Sassi and Harmony sing songs that remind them of us? It could be fun!”

“Oh, I don’t know…” Sassi said. 

The chorus of “Oh come on” that hit was deafening.

“Alright! Alright!” And so began their game.

Yazoo was first. He was the easiest for Harmony. She chose “Blaze of Glory” by Bon Jovi. When she finished, he clapped enthusiastically, glad that his friend had chosen such a fine song for him.

Next was Sassi’s turn. She chose “Lullaby for a Stormy Night” by Vienna Teng for Aerith, feeling like it would be something Aerith would sing to her children, if she had any.

Harmony chose Vincent next, singing “Going Under” by Evanessence. He glared at her, but she simply ignored him.

Sassi next chose Yuffie. The energetic woman was bouncing up and down excitedly, waiting to hear Sassi’s perception of her. It was “Get the Party Started” by Pink. Yuffie was absolutely tickled.

Harmony’s next choice was probably not her most brilliant decision. There was only one song she could think of that fit Kadaj. She tried to think of any other, but the nagging feeling that this was the one would just not release her.

She whispered in Sassi’s ear and the redhead’s eyes widened, but she nodded her consent, putting her violin in position and starting to play as Harmony plucked out chords on her guitar.

“Hush, child  
the darkness will rise from the deep, and  
carry you down into sleep, child.  
Darkness will rise from the deep, and  
carry you down into sleep…”


	18. A Remnant's Lullaby

Chapter 18

Kadaj listened to the tragically beautiful song that Harmony was singing. As the first verse began, he stood from the couch and went to stand on the back balcony. He could still hear clearly the words of the song. Did she really think of him that way?

He closed his eyes and listened, willing his rising anger to fade.

“Guileless son,   
I’ll shape your belief,   
and you’ll always know  
that your father’s a thief.  
And you won’t understand   
the cause of your grief,  
but you’ll always follow   
the voices beneath…”

Was she talking about Jenova? It seemed like it. Her haunting voice brought images to his mind of racing through city streets to Midgar and then looking into the black box to see Jenova’s mutated head staring back at him. 

It bothered him. He was trying so hard to not be that person anymore. It had been better than a week since the last time that Jenova was able to take over his mind. He could still feel her there, trying to push through, but he couldn’t understand the words she spoke. It was as if she was speaking through a soundproof window. He realized that Harmony was slowly changing him. Normally, he had no interest in even pretending to be nice. Now, he wanted to be there for her.

Normally, he would have taken what he wanted from her. Probably not raped her, no. But he would have pushed harder for her to give in. Now, he wanted to go at her pace. He wanted her to want him. It confused him. He was supposed to hate humans. Hate her for taking Jenova away from them. He hadn’t even thought about Jenova in days. The music of the violin paused and Harmony’s voice rang out again.

“Guileless son,  
your spirit will hate her,  
the flower who married  
my brother the traitor.  
And you will expose  
his puppeteer behavior,  
for you are the proof   
of how he betrayed her loyalty…”

Was that verse about her? Should he hate her? It confused him, the feelings he got when he looked at her. She was just a human girl!

A reckless, silly… beautiful, talented, loving, accepting, powerful, strong-spirited human girl.

He was doomed. If Jenova was not defeated here, she would surely kill him and his brothers for their dallying. Why was it that he couldn’t bring himself to care? Was death truly what he had to face in the end? Would he care if living meant living without Harmony in his life?

“Guileless son,  
each day you grow older,  
each moment I’m watching   
my vengeance unfold.  
Child of my body,  
flesh of my soul   
will die in returning  
the birthright he stole…”

There it was. She was absolutely right. Jenova would kill him. A thought crept slowly into the back of his mind. So slowly, in fact, that he didn’t even realize he’d thought it until it almost knocked the breath out of him.

Jenova would kill him anyway. She would kill him, and his brothers, and all of the people here with him that he had grudgingly grown close to. She was wrong.

She was wrong! He had been wrong! It finally hit him. ShinRa were bad guys before, yes. But now? Now, he and his brother’s had been the bad guys, trying to free Jenova so that she could use Sephiroth to destroy the planet.

These people here didn’t deserve to die. He did. He had taken initiative, taken leadership. He had ordered his brothers to do the things that they did.

He made up his mind.

If they ever went home, he would do everything in his power to help ShinRa rebuild the world, and to kill Jenova once and for all. If Aerith survived to journey back with the rest of them, he would pledge his life to protect her. If he couldn’t take Harmony with him, he would keep another very special and powerful woman safe.

“Hush, child  
the darkness will rise from the deep, and  
carry you down into sleep, child.  
Darkness will rise from the deep, and  
carry you down into sleep…”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Harmony finished her song, she noticed a bright blue light flash on the back balcony, and that Kadaj was missing. Sassi raised her eyebrows in question, but Harmony shrugged her off, telling her she would explain later.

“Kadaj?” She said, stepping out into the cool night air. The light still lingered around him, flickering slightly before disappearing into nothing.

“Do you really think that about me?” He asked. “That I’m evil. Molded for Mother’s-… Jenova’s revenge? Nothing but a puppet?” Kadaj asked, turning around to face her.

“Oh, Kadaj.” She sighed, laying a hand on his cheek, “That’s not what I think at all. The song is meant to inspire understanding. You are not evil.”

“What is the song called?”

“Its called ‘Mordred’s Lullaby’. Sung by Morgan le Fey to her son. She was molding him. Shaping him to be the villain. The song, Kadaj, is about teaching other’s that Mordred was not evil. He never stood a chance against the darkness and his vengeful mother. That is how I see you, Kadaj.”

He took a deep breath as Harmony pushed into his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder.

“You pity me?” He asked, his voice turning hard.

“No. Absolutely not. I see you as a very strong person. You faced the darkness for years, Kadaj. Years. And it almost destroyed you. But you beat it. Even if you think you didn’t. If you truly wanted to help Jenova, then my spell wouldn’t have stopped you from going to her.” She admitted, holding her breath and awaiting his reaction. She had just showed him a massive amount of trust, giving away that secret.

Kadaj pushed her away from him, looking into her eyes and searching for anything that even resembled pity. He found nothing but acceptance, and something he couldn’t quite name. He let a dark look cover his features and pushed Harmony completely away from him. She watched in confusion until he walked a few steps and turned the switch to start the bubbles and jets in the hot tub. He then removed his shirt and pants, wearing only his boxers, and climbed into the hot water, hissing slightly and then looking at Harmony expectantly.

She gave a small smile and nodded her head. She slipped her shorts off to reveal modest boy short panties, and her shirt followed. She wore another sports-style bra the same cream color as her panties. She motioned for Kadaj to scoot over and climbed in after him, settling on his lap and laying back against his chest. She had a question and she didn’t want to look at him to ask it. He ran his hands down her arms soothingly. There was nothing sexual about it, it was comfort, and nothing else.

“Kadaj?” She asked, trying to keep her voice even, without fear.

“Hm?” He asked, brushing one hand across her forehead and pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Will you tell me about yourself?” His hand froze in midair as it was going to repeat its motion.

“What do you want to know?” He asked, guarded. He knew it was only fair, since he knew about her life.

“Where did you grow up? Where are your parents, your family? How did you end up in Hojo’s lab?”

“Can I choose which questions I answer and which I don’t?”

“Of course, Kadaj. You know I won’t push you. You can kick my ass and I wouldn‘t even see you coming!”

Kadaj chuckled and resumed stroking Harmony’s arms. “I was born in Banora.” He said.

“Isn’t that where Genesis said that Zack left him?” Harmony asked. Kadaj nodded.

“Yes.” He remembered something. “Do you still want to know what a ‘dumbapple’ is?”

Harmony smiled and nodded her head. “Their official name is ‘Banora White’. The trees only grow in Banora. They bear fruit at random times during the year, thus, the townspeople call them dumbapples.” He explained. “They’re delicious. So juicy, and sweet. I miss them. I haven’t had one in so long…”

Harmony twisted in his lap. She tried to distract him. “How did you grow up?” She asked. She rested her arms around his shoulders and toyed with his hair, now damp from the steam.

He looked into her eyes, trying to decide if he wanted to talk about this. “I grew up with my sister.” He said simply. Harmony raised an interested eyebrow.

“Your sister?”

“Yes. My twin.”

Harmony gasped. A twin?! “What happened to her?”

Kadaj looked away, obviously trying very hard to avoid eye contact. “She died. Can we not talk about this anymore? Maybe later.”

Harmony let her face fall in a sympathetic frown. “Of course. I’m sorry, Kadaj. I didn’t mean to-”

“WHOO-HOO! HOT TUB!” Came a shout from the sliding doors. Reno stood in nothing but his boxers, followed by the rest of the Turks and Yazoo.

Harmony sighed, frustrated at being interrupted as the invaders piled into the hot tub that was barely big enough for all of them. Kadaj subtly kissed behind her ear and whispered, “Its okay.” He caught her eyeing Yazoo with a look of disgusted awe.

“What is it?” He said.

“The fact that you’re all so damned hot!” She hissed, hoping that Yazoo hadn’t heard her.

She flushed when he smirked at her, confirming that he had, actually, and thought it was hilarious.

“Where’s everyone else?” She asked, trying to take the attention off of herself.

“Well, Cloud took everyone ‘cept Sass and Loz to the meadow. They wanted to train. Big Boss went, too.” Reno told her, referring to Rufus.

“Oh well that sounds safe. How drunk are they?” Harmony drawled. If they were even half as drunk as she was, they could be in trouble. “Where are Sassi and Loz?”

“Watchin’ a movie.” Reno answered again.

“Oh. Okay then. Wanna play a game?” She asked, suddenly feeling very playful.

Kadaj blanched. Her last drunken game ended with a hang-over and some very foggy memories.

“What game?” Cissnei asked from Yazoo’s lap. She and Elena were attired much like Harmony was, and the men were all in nothing but boxers.

“Truth.”

“Don’t you mean ‘Truth or Dare’?” Elena asked.

“Oh Heavens, no! That would not be a good idea, I think. Just ‘Truth’. But!” She qualified. “If you lie- and I will know if you do -you have to take double shot. If you refuse to answer, you have to take one single shot.” She pointed to the bottle of vodka that Reno had brought out with him. “And the questions have to be…” She let them hang for a moment, building anticipation. “…sexual.”

“Alright!” Reno cheered.

Kadaj groaned and covered his face with one palm, running his hand down to cover his mouth. He noticed Yazoo in much the same condition.

“I’ll start!” Harmony said. “Reno.” Her tone of voice quickly got his attention.

“Yes?” He said.

“You ready?” she asked as if they were doing something much more serious than playing dirty drinking games.

“Bring it.”

“Have you ever slept with a man?”

Reno sat shocked for a moment, staring at the expectant faces of those around him. Finally, he lifted the bottle to his lips, grumbling about not playing nice if Harmony wasn’t going to, and downed a single shot.

It was his turn. “Yo, Boss.” Tseng looked up, apprehensively.

“Reno.” He answered.

“You ever bang Elena?”

Tseng gasped and Elena squealed, turning bright red. “Certainly not!”

Harmony put her hand in the water, pushing her energy into it and in turn, into Tseng as well.

“Liar!” She accused. Tseng glared daggers at her for outing him, and Elena, still bright red, splashed water in her face. “Come on,” Harmony pushed. “You know the drill!” Tseng growled and raised the bottle to his lips, downing two shots quickly.

“My turn!” He growled, zeroing in on Harmony. She felt a cold chill run down her spine at the look in his eyes, and almost regretted outing him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Well. It sounds like they’re having fun.” Loz said. He stretched again, intending to slip his arm around Sassi’s shoulders once more.

“Oh for the love of God.” She reached up and grabbed Loz’s arm, pulling it over her shoulder and shooting him an annoyed-amused look.

Loz smiled sheepishly and turned his attention back to the movie as Sassi did the same. Feeling a bit playful, he reached just a little further, grasping her flesh in his hand and effectively ‘honking’ her boob.

In a flash he was sprawled back across the couch, his jaw throbbing. Sassi stood over him, glowering angrily and wringing the hand she punched him with.

“Pervert!” She growled, and then stalked off into the kitchen.

Loz waited until she left the room before allowing the smile to spread across his face, twitterpated.

‘Oh dear Odin, I think I just fell in love!’


	19. Obedience Training

Chapter 19

“Psst.”

Harmony groaned and rolled away from the evil demon that was trying to prod her awake. 

“Psst.”

“Go away!” She moaned.

“PSST!”

Harmony huffed and opened her eyes, throwing her blankets off and kicking Kadaj in the process of sitting up.

“What the hell do you-oh. Morning Sass.” Harmony said, seeing unruly red hair and bright blue eyes.

She immediately plopped back down onto her mattress and tried to pull the blanket back over her head, snuggling back into Kadaj’s warmth. He must’ve been really drunk if all this moving hadn’t awoken him.

“Oh no. I don’t think so, mo chara(1). Get lover-boy up and lets get going. There’s a whole lot of people downstairs with hangovers, and I am not going to be the only one taking care of them!” Sassi chuckled.

“I’m awake, and don’t call me that.” Kadaj said.

Harmony poked her head out from under the covers. “How long?” She asked.

“About the time she opened the door. I hoped she‘d just go away and let us sleep.”

Harmony huffed and ‘accidentally’ elbowed him in the ribs as she sat up.

Sassi grinned at the display between the two, happy that her friend seemed to be comfortable with this man, even if she didn’t realize it completely.

“Downstairs. Five minutes.” She ordered.

“Sea, Mathair.”(2) Harmony sassed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Okay, I’m here!” Harmony called as she stepped off of the staircase and into the den.

“Oh dear Gods, please keep your voice down!” Genesis complained from his position sprawled across the floor in front of the largest couch. He made a gagging sound and covered his mouth with his hand, sitting up and leaning over a bucket.

“Oh gross.” Zack said, turning away from his fellow First.

“Okay, guys,” Sassi said, entering the den from the kitchen, “I’ve finished making breakfast. I don’t want to hear about how it looks, or smells. Eat it.” She said. She helped Genesis to his feet, making sure to only grasp his clothes and not touch his skin at all.

Harmony took the hint and started helping others to the kitchen.

“That was one wild party. You guys have great booze!” Yuffie said, grasping her head in her hand after she spoke. “Holy. Shiva. Ouch.”

“You okay there, Yuffs?” Cid said, snickering.

“You don’t look too bad.” Harmony commented.

“’Course not. I can handle my liquor.” He boasted.

“That’s ‘cause yer a drunk!” Yuffie accused.

“’Course I am.”

“That’s not something I’d boast about. Being an alcoholic.” Harmony said, rolling her eyes.

“Hey!” Cid snapped. “I am not an alcoholic. Alcoholic’s go to meetings. I…” he paused for dramatic effect, “…do not.”

“So you’re just a damned drunk.” Sassi cut in. “I like it. Very Irish.”

“How stereotypical.” Harmony said, chuckling as she sat down at the large table in the dining area.

“What’s an Irish?” Tifa asked, making herself known. She and Cloud really didn’t look too bad, either.

“Its not ‘an Irish’. Ireland is a country across the Atlantic ocean.” Sassi clarified. “I’m Irish.”

“Oh. So that’s where the accent comes from?” Kadaj asked.

“Yep. Its more prominent when I’m annoyed, or angry. Or really drunk.”

“I noticed.” He said dryly.

They ate their meal in silence, the only conversation being Zack complaining about the food.

“It is a traditional Irish hangover cure.” Sassi defended. “I told you not to complain about it!”

“Oh yeah? I think it stinks.” Zack said.

“Oh its on now. No more miss nice Sassi.”

“Bring it. I bet I can take you down.” Zack said, lifting his arms out in a taunting manner.

Harmony almost spit out her orange juice. “Um, Zack, I don’t know about that… She’s not as against-”

“Shut-up, Hari. You’ll ruin the surprise.”

Zack really didn’t like the way Sassi had said that.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Okay, Har. How do you guys usually do this?” Sassi asked when the group arrived at the meadow.

“Hand to hand to start, no serious injuries. With Zack, I usually fight ‘first-to-bleed’.” She answered.

Sassi pulled her aside. “You ever beat him?” She whispered.

“Once. But I have my suspicions he was holding back. I’ve seen him fight with Cloud.” She stopped and sent a glare at the SOLDIER. Deciding to pay him back a little, she leaned in closer to Sassi and whispered instructions in her ear. “They call him ‘Puppy’. I think you should work with that a little bit. He’s off balance on one foot, aim low.”

Sassi snickered, knowing what Harmony was up to. No one babied her and got away with it.

“Hey, what are you saying?! I don’t like the thought of you conspiring against me!” Zack said, sounding slightly panicked.

Sassi grinned, a malicious look that had even Yazoo a little creeped out. And he was the master of malicious looks!

“Oh don’t worry about it, madra beag bideach!” Sassi said. She whispered under her breath, barely loud enough for the others to hear. 

“Biotáille na máthar domhain, éisteacht le mo ghlao. Lig dó labhairt mar atá mé a ordú, ach amháin go dtí mé scaoileadh saor é, nó go dtí go mbeidh sé cruthaithe go fiúntach. Iarr mé in ainm seo do gach cumhachtach, agus mar sin go mbeadh sé Mhóta!” With that, she flicked her fingers in Zack’s direction. 

Everyone in the meadow broke down into near hysterical laughter as Zack attempted to say what they were sure was supposed to be something along the lines of ‘What was that about’. 

All that came out was a resounding “Woof!” followed by a startled-sounding “Yipe!”

He then shot into a long tirade of barks and growls, pointing at Sassi and then at his mouth, wanting her to reverse the spell.

“No can do, Pooch. There’s only one way you’re gonna get out of this one.” Sassi snickered.

Zack narrowed his eyes and held his hands out as if to say “Well?”

“You have to beat me.”

Zack rolled his eyes. ‘As if that’s going to be a challenge!’ he thought to himself. He rushed forward, taking the initiative and trying to knock the unprepared woman off of her feet.

She saw him coming and dodged with a roll to the side, and the fight was on.

For a while, it seemed as if Zack had the upper hand, constantly keeping Sassi on her toes. They did not fail to realize that she would not strike at him if her skin would touch his. Zack realized this, too, and intended to use it to his advantage.

Sassi watched with bright blue eyes that were almost glowing with the force of her concentration. She dodged each blow sent her way, waiting for the right moment to strike. It came when Zack fell right into her trap, reaching out to grab her shoulders, thinking that she would recoil and throw herself off balance in her attempt to avoid skin-on-skin contact. She threw a right-handed uppercut his way, forcing her energy into her fist and sending Zack sprawling onto the ground. 

He shook himself off- much like a wet dog would -and glared at her. His shirt was singed in the perfect imprint of Sassi’s fist. 

Sassi only grinned at him and folded her hands together, moving her fingers in an intricate dance so quickly that Zack barely had time to dodge by the time he realized that she sent a ball of fire flying at him.

“Don’t… underestimate me.” Sassi deadpanned. 

She played with him a little more, chucking fireball after fireball in his direction. She had to admire his agility. For such a big man, he was able to dodge every projectile sent his way. 

With every dodge, he was slowly moving closer to the (literally) fiery redhead. At last he was right on top of her. Really. 

He tackled the woman to the ground with a shoulder spear that would have made one of those television wrestlers burst with pride.

“Oof!” She exhaled. She made to push the man off of her and stand, not realizing until it was too late that he wore a sleeveless shirt, and she wasn’t wearing her gloves…

*Flash*

‘I can’t see…’ was the first thing that passed through Sassi’s mind. She knew her eyes were open, knew there was something happening around her… but blackness was all that met her vision.

“Sephiroth!” She heard a voice she instantly recognized as Tifa’s, followed by a high-pitched cry of pain, and the sound of a body falling heavily to a metal floor. The coppery smell of what could only be blood assaulted her next, and she fought not to lose her breakfast. She heard a metal door slide open, and heard herself screaming Sephiroth’s name in a rage.

“How could you?!” She screamed, “They were innocent people!”

She wondered what was happening, what she was talking about, until the smell of burning oil reached her nose. Oil and wood and flesh. She heard the screams from the town not far from where they stood.

*Flash*

Sassi gasped and tried to push away, the only thing her movement seeming to accomplish was to slide her bare hand down the confused SOLDIER’s arm.

*Flash*

She knew instantly that while she was still in the same place, time had passed. Pain filled her body and she could feel the slick, alien wetness of blood dripping down her face. She fought a feeling of terror and desperation, worrying for her best friend that was currently fighting a very powerful madman. 

*Flash*

“Stop!” Sassi screamed, finally shoving the big man off of her and scurrying on her behind to flatten herself against the base of a tree.

The terror she felt… the pain and the rage… It had all seemed so real. And yet, she couldn’t see anything! What was wrong with her powers? What had these strangers done when they came here that effected her most powerful ability?

“Sass?” Harmony said quietly, slowly approaching the shaking woman. Sassi looked up. She had a wild, unfocused look in her eyes.

“Nach bhfuil mo chumhachtaí ag obair! Chonaic mé rud ar bith! Ach ... ach chuala mé ... agus an boladh, A Dhia, an boladh …” Sassi said, allowing Harmony to pull her into her arms. “Bhí sé chomh Uafásach ... Tá a fhios agam cén fáth fuath siad i bhfad é sin …”

“Cad atá i gceist agat, ní gá do chumhachtaí ag obair? D'oibrigh siad breá an lá eile-”

“Speak in a language we can all understand!” Zack snapped, glad the spell had broken and he was able to do so. His statement earned a smack to the back of the head from Angeal.

“Quiet! You know we’re not supposed to touch her skin!”

“But she’s the one who-”

“Stop.” The redhead interrupted them. “It was my own fault. I shouldn’t have taken my gloves off.”

“Alright.” Came a voice from Sassi’s left. She and Harmony looked over to find Vincent staring at them with those unnerving red eyes of his. “I think its time you told us why we shouldn’t touch you. We have a right to know what we are being exposed to.”

Harmony turned on him in an instant, ripping herself from Sassi’s grasp and advancing on the tall gunman.

“It hasn’t got anything to do with what you are exposed to, Darkness! Its what she’s exposed to when you-” She stopped short, her eyes going wide. Whirling around, she let her eyes meet Sassi’s. “Sorry!” She said.

Sassi sighed and shook her head. “Its all right. He has a point.” She hefted herself to her feet and leaned back against the tree. They all stared at her as she seemed to collect her thoughts.

“Its called retro-cognitive psychometry.” Everyone save for Hojo looked confused. Hojo looked positively smitten.

“What’s that?” Reno asked.

“It means that if my skin touches your skin, I can see into your mind. Past. Present. Everything. Every thought you’ve ever had. Every memory. Every feeling. Everything you’ve ever smelled, or tasted-”

At that point, Kadaj cut her off, racing to her and grasping her by her covered arms. “What did you see?!” He snarled, thinking of the moment he grabbed her hand by accident, thinking it was Harmony he had been pulling from the tent.

Sassi never got the chance to answer him, as he was suddenly yanked away from her and flying through the air.

In a move too quick to be seen, and even more difficult to comprehend, Harmony had Kadaj pinned to the ground, his own sword torn from his hip to press against his throat.

“Don’t you touch her!” She growled. Kadaj cautiously lifted his hand to move the blades from his neck, only to have her press them harder against his skin. He dared a glance at her face. Her eyes seemed to glow bright green, brighter than even their normal color.

“Harmony?” He asked, softly. “I’m sorry. Let me up.”

Those simple words seemed to do so much. The glow faded and the woman above him swayed slightly. “Kadaj?” She said. “What happened?”

“You kicked my ass, is what happened.” He stated, matter-of-factly.

“Wha’? How? Why?” Harmony looked sincerely confused.

“I was hoping you could tell me.” He said, standing and letting her still-weak body lean against him. “You shouldn’t have been able to do that.”

“Hey, I’ve been getting better! I almost beat you the other day!”

“Harmony, I wasn’t fighting you with my full strength.” He said, hoping she wouldn’t become violent again.

“What?!” She snapped. “You mean to tell me… all this time I thought I was making progress and you’ve been…”

“Hari, we all have,” Yazoo said.

Harmony’s face fell. “Why?” she asked. “You’re the Master. You should be the first to tell me that an enemy won’t hold back! You’ve insulted my honor and my intelligence!” She spun on her heel, marching away from the group and leaving Kadaj staring guiltily behind her.

“Harmony, wait!” Yazoo called, sparing a glance at Kadaj and Sassi before taking off after her.

“Leave me alone!” At her words, the sky began to darken again, ugly gray rain clouds bursting into life and dropping heavy rain drops over the group of people. The women, who had not yet witnessed Harmony’s control over the weather, stood rooted, sounds of awe escaping their lips.

“Please just listen.” Yazoo pleaded, catching up to her and grasping her hand. A jolt of electricity shot through him and he flinched, quickly snatching his hand back. “Ouch! That was uncalled for!”

“So was holding out on me!” Harmony snapped.

“Look, we knew that you couldn’t keep up with us, Hari. We’re Remnants! We are a part of Sephiroth! We have enough Mako in our blood to kill a normal human, and let’s not even mention the Jenova cells!” He reasoned.

Harmony sighed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Okay. I get it.” She turned toward him completely. “But don’t. Do it. Again.”

“Deal.” Yazoo said. Harmony looked behind the man to see Kadaj approaching.

“Harmony,” He started, fully intending to defend himself and his actions.

“Stop. Whatever. Its done, can’t change it now. But you don’t get to do that anymore.” She said, pointing her finger in his face.

“You’re asking for it.” He said, raising his eyebrow.

“Does this look like the face of someone who gives a shit?!” Harmony sassed.

Kadaj smiled. She was so refreshing.

“Okay then. Center of the field, right now. Let’s see how you can handle a Remnant’s real strength.”

Lightening flashed, illuminating the meadow and reflecting off of Harmony’s dancing eyes.

“Bring it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh, shit! He’s kickin’ her ass!” Loz laughed, leaning down to whisper to the redhead cuddled under the blanket at his side.

He had apologized for his idiotic attempt at improper humor, and was now huddled closely with Sassi under the boughs of a large tree at the edge of the meadow.

“Well, she asked for it!” Sassi laughed. She felt strange. Normally, she was not very fond of close physical contact, however, she did not mind Loz being as close as he was. She still wouldn’t allow him to touch her skin, but she did allow him to slip her gloved hand into his as he talked.

Loz agreed and changed the subject. “So how does your power work? If you don’t want to talk about it that’s okay.” He rushed to add.

“Its very simple. If my skin were to touch your skin, I would see everything I wanted to see, and then some. I would know every second of your life, from birth until now. This very moment.” She looked away, expecting him to call her a freak as others had done.

He surprised her. “That is wicked cool.” He said with a grin. “Will you try it with me?”

Sassi stiffened against him, and he wondered if he had just messed up again. “I really don’t like-”

“Okay, I understand. Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable… I’ll just go over here and see if Cloud or Reno or some one will spar with me…” He rambled, starting to stand.

Sassi sighed, resigned. “Wait!” She said. Loz quieted and sat back down. “Give me your hand.” She hesitantly drew her glove off of her fingers.

Loz let out the breath he’d been holding when their fingers touched. Sassi’s skin was undeniably soft, almost like what he would imagine a baby’s skin felt like. He looked at her face to see her staring hard at her fingers.

“What do you see?” He asked.

“I… I can’t tell…” Sassi said, confused. “It’s fuzzy. Kind of like watching through a wall of water… Who is the big man with the bright green shirt? And what the hell is that next to him? A giant chicken?”

“That’s my pa!” Loz crowed. You must be seeing him before a chocobo race!” 

“But its not right!” Sassi pressed. “I can’t see it as clearly as I should! Harmony!” she called.

The beating in the clearing stopped and Kadaj helped Harmony to her feet, She, Kadaj, and Yazoo making their way to the couple under the tree.

Sassi held her hand out to Harmony and, shocked, Harmony wove her fingers into Sassi’s. Sassi never instigated this, so it must be important.

Crystal clear images flooded Sassi’s vision, mostly thoughts of Kadaj and how much Harmony wanted to- “Ew. Well, its not broken…” Sassi muttered to herself.

“Why can’t I see your mind?” Sassi said, more to herself as she looked at Loz. She turned her glance to Kadaj and held out her hand. “Do you mind?” She asked, unused to asking permission to touch someone.

“Actually, now that I know what you’re capable of, I would really rather not.” Kadaj said, trying to be as polite as he could.

“Alright.” She turned to Yazoo. “May I?” she asked.

Yazoo nodded hesitantly and took his glove off of his hand, extending the pale appendage to the redhead.

Again, Sassi only stared at the foreign fingers in utter frustration.

“Ugh! I never thought I’d be so upset at not being able to use my power!”

“You can’t see them?!” Harmony exclaimed.

“No! Its like watching one of those old Tvs with all the static! Fascinating!”

“Hang on a second. Sass? One more person? Maybe two?”

Sassi nodded, knowing that Harmony would not do anything that would harm her in any way.

Harmony whistled sharply. “Cid! C’mere a sec. Please?” The blonde pilot jogged over.

“Yeah?” 

“You know what Sassi can do.”

“Yeah…”

"Well, she can’t get a read on these guys.” Harmony gestured to the Remnants. “I’d like to find out if its because you are all from a different world, or if its because of all the mako and Jenova cells they have in their blood.”

Yazoo snapped his fingers. “Of course!”

“Uh… Sure?” Sassi smiled gently and reassuringly as she held out her hand.

Just before their fingers touched, Cid gave her a warning. “Uh, ya might wanna avoid my whole teenage experience. Jes sayin’.”

Sassi smiled and then was thrown into an intense vision. Frigid cold against her skin, but the sight before her eyes made it worth it. It was space. Literally. She was in space. The stars seemed so bright, and when the body she was a part of moved just a bit, she saw what she could only guess was the planet Gaia. She released Cid’s hand.

“That was absolutely amazing! You’ve been to space?!”

“You saw? It worked?” Harmony asked.

“Oh yeah. It worked. That was so beautiful…” Sassi said.

“Well, Sass… wanna test my theory?”

Before half an hour had passed, Sassi had tested her power on every person at the meadow, save for Hojo. He would not allow her to touch him. In all truth, Sassi didn’t really want to touch him, anyway.

“That settles it. it’s the Jenova cells.” Harmony said. Sassi was unable to read the SOLDIER’s - including Cloud, Vincent, and the Remnants, but was able to read everyone else perfectly.

“Well. That’s interesting.” Harmony muttered.

“If by ‘interesting’ you mean ‘fucking awesome’, then hell yeah!” Sassi said.

“What’s the matter, Sassafrass? Getting tired of being omniscient?” Harmony sassed good-naturedly.

“…What did you just call me?”


	20. Mudslinging

Chapter 20

 

“…What did you just call me?”

“Sassafrass…what are you going to do about it?”

“Kick your ass is what!” Sassi crowed. 

“You will never catch me with my super ninja reflexes!” Harmony shouted dramatically, striking a ‘ninja’ pose.

“Well, they do say that Ninja’s and Pirates never get along!” Sassi retorted. She kicked her shoe off, sending it flying Harmony’s way. She ducked, deflecting the make-shift missile… and sending it straight into Vincent’s face.

“Oh-my-god-I’m-so-sorry!” Harmony rushed, trying her hardest not to laugh. She turned to make her way to Vincent and-

“SPLAT!”

Harmony froze, mud dripping from the back of her head down her neck.

“I. Will. Kill. You.”

“You. Can. Try.”

Harmony turned and dove for the redhead, soaring past Loz and Yazoo to tackle her to the ground.

“Taste mud!” she cried, taking a handful of the slimy substance and squishing it into Sassi’s hair.

“Anyone else think we should be paying for this shit?” Cid drawled, staring at the mud-covered women.

The eldest and youngest Remnants sent icy glares Cid’s way, and were about to say something, when a squeal cut them off.

“Eeeeewwwwwww! Get off me!” Sassi growled, shoving Harmony off of her. The women climbed to their feet and stared at each other. Then, simultaneously, they began what looked to those watching to be a dance. Their fingers moved in an intricate form, and the spectators were so caught up in watching it, that they almost missed the giant balls of mud that were forming themselves next to each woman.

“Don’t do it!” Sassi warned.

“You started it!” Harmony retorted.

“No! You did. You know I hate it when you call me by my full name!”

Harmony had nothing to say, knowing that Sassi was right.

Sassi growled at Harmony’s silence, and then she let her mud ball fly. Harmony released hers as well. The only thing either attack accomplished… was to cover the entire group in an explosion of slimy mud and clay.

“Um…” Sassi drawled, looking at her soaked companions.

“Oops.” Harmony finished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Angeal?” Harmony said, walking over to the older man as he stood talking to Sephiroth and Genesis. Harmony had provided the group with a little stronger rain to help them clean off a bit.

“What can I do for you, Harmony?” The big man asked.

“Just Hari, please. I was wondering if you would spar with me. I get the feeling that the others are still holding back, and from what Zack has told me, you won’t.”

Angeal smiled softly. “What makes you think I won’t?”

“It would be very dishonorable, good sir. Very dishonorable indeed.” The twinkle in her eye let him know that she knew exactly what she was doing.

“Okay. I won’t hold back. But I won’t really hurt you either.” He qualified. “How about this,” He started when she tried to protest. “If I see you doing something wrong, I’ll follow through, but then we’re going to stop and address it. That is, if you and your other Masters don’t mind me stepping in to help train you.”

Harmony looked to Kadaj, who was standing to her left.

“Fine by me.” He turned to call to Yazoo. “’Ey, Yaz! You mind if Angeal helps train Hari?”

“Not at all.” Yazoo called back.

“Well. That settles it. Let’s do this.” Harmony said.

Angeal smiled and offered his arm to her, allowing her to hook her hand around his elbow. Kadaj walked beside her also, threading his arm around her waist possessively. When they reached a clear spot of the meadow, the three separated, Kadaj going to stand beside Yazoo to observe, and Angeal and Harmony squaring off.

“Okay.” Angeal said. “I’ve seen you spar hand to hand, and then stop to switch to weapons training. What I want to see now, is how you handle having a weapon strapped to your hip and not using it.”

Yazoo gave Angeal an appraising look. The big man continued at Harmony’s nod. The three watched her strap her fans to her hips, as she hoped they would not hinder her movement too much.

“You are not to use your weapons until I do.” Angeal instructed. Harmony nodded her head.

“Got it.”

Angeal smiled, and the fight began.

He really had meant it. He held nothing back.

Within the first five minutes, Harmony was sweating and doing everything she could to dodge the large SOLDIER’s attacks. She couldn’t even block, as his strength was enough that blocking his attacks seriously hurt.

Then, he upped the stakes, drawing his large sword, the one Harmony had never even seen him use.

“Oh, shit!” She said, ducking under a horizontal swing that could have cut her clean in half. She snapped her fans from her waist and flicked them open, falling into stance and taking a defensive pose. She knew she stood no chance against Angeal, in truth, she knew it before she challenged him, but she wanted to see how long she could hold out.

“You ready?” Angeal graced her.

She laughed softly. “No. But do it anyway.”

Angeal nodded, impressed, and then he was on her. Swinging in an untraceable pattern of ups and downs, sideways and diagonals, he was very straightforward. Where Kadaj was very athletic, aerial and all over the place at once, Angeal was a constant. He never backed off for a second. What unnerved Harmony the most, was the constant eye contact. He was staring her down. She did her best to dodge, avoiding even blocking with her fans, as she just did not have the strength to execute an adequate block against him.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but was really only a few minutes, Harmony threw her fans up in surrender.

“I give!” she gasped. Angeal smirked and lowered his sword, coming to kneel next to her gasping form. Kadaj and Yazoo made their way to the two fighters.

“You did well,” Angeal praised, “you held your own for a while.”

“I didn’t even come close to hitting you, not even once!” Harmony chuckled.

“No, but you lasted longer than I thought you would. You’re very agile and flexible, and that allows you to dodge attacks that most could not.” He stood and looked to Yazoo and Kadaj. “Here’s what I was thinking. Of course, you were teaching first, so you can say no if you don’t like the idea.”

Yazoo was intrigued and motioned for Angeal to continue.

“Her form is good, if not a little slow. I’ve noticed she’s better with the fans than she is with a sword. Whether you guys work with her on that, or continue swordplay is up to you. What I propose, is that the two of you work on form and technique, speed and balance and such, and I will work with her on strength and stamina.”

Kadaj looked at Yazoo and the two seemed to share in internal conversation. “Okay.” Kadaj said after a moment. “Deal. Just don’t wear her out so quick.” He joked. “Now I have to wait to play with her.”

“She’s not a toy, Kadaj.” Yazoo scolded.

“She is standing right here!” Harmony snapped, growing irritated at being treated as if she weren’t there.

Thinking to avoid confrontation, Angeal changed the subject.

“Think you have enough energy to show me some of your katas with those fans?” Harmony looked at him, and then at Kadaj. She stuck her nose in the air and turned from the Remnant.

“Of course.” She told Angeal. “Let’s do it over here.” With that, she threaded her arm through Angeal’s and led him to a spot further away from the Remnants.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That was awesome. You’d think a guy that big wouldn’t be able to move that fast.” Sassi said to Loz. The two were once again huddled together under the same tree.

“I’m pretty big. And I can move faster than that.” 

“Oh yeah?” Sassi said, smiling. She was aware of Loz’s  
abilities, having seen him fighting in Harmony’s memories.

“What about you? You fight, don’t you?”

“Sure,” Sassi said, “but I tend to use my magic more than anything. I do like long-range weapons though. I just use my magic to create a weapon when I need it. For some reason, the spells don’t tire me like they do the others.” She said.

“Well, what’s your favorite training exercise, and I’ll train with you.” Loz offered. Sassi sized him up.

“I don’t know. Even Hari has a hard time besting me at this particular game, and we’ve been doing it for years.”

“Gimme a chance.” Loz smiled brightly, hoping to win her over.

“Okay. You might think its silly, but once you get into it you’ll see how it hones my skill. Its sort of like Hide and Seek. it’s a tracking game. You go hide in the forest, and I use my power, and only my power, to find you.”

“Oh baby girl, you’re in for it. Nobody finds a Remnant unless he wants to be found.” Loz boasted, standing and hefting Sassi to her feel, wishing it wasn’t leather glove under his fingertips.

“That so?” Sassi said, rolling her eyes. “How ‘bout a little bet then?”

“Okay.” Loz agreed, spotting a golden opportunity if ever there was one. “If you can’t find me, I get to kiss you.” he stated bluntly.

Sassi almost choked on her tongue and her eyes widened. He wanted to kiss her? This gorgeous mountain of walking sex… wanted to kiss… her.

“Deal!” She said, a little too enthusiastically, She seriously contemplated losing, just so she’d have to pay up. Then, a though struck her. If he really liked her, how far was he willing to go to show it? “Okay. I agree. If you win, you get to kiss me. But,” she paused for dramatic effect, “if I win, you have to strip down to your skivvies and run through the meadow waving your arms about and clucking like a chicken.”

Loz looked sick to his stomach.

“You can back out, of course, I’ll understand.” The look on his face changed instantly.

“No way. You got a deal.” He said, shaking her gloved hand.

“Good. I’ll give you ten minutes head start. Try not to leave a physical trail.” she said.

Loz snorted and said nothing, just turned and quite literally disappeared into the foliage.

‘Oh lordy, this’ll be fun…” Sassi thought, leaning against the tree and starting her count.

 

~~

 

Sassi wandered through the trees looking for any clue to Loz’s location. Not finding anything physically, she slowly peeled her glove off of her hand. As her hand came in contact with the tree, she grinned maniacally and set off running at full speed through the forest. After a few minutes of steady running, she slowed.

Panting, she slowed enough to trail her naked digits along the trunk of a mighty oak. Instantly an image of Loz vaulting up that very tree came to her mind. She peered up into the foliage, and slammed her back against the tree as Loz landed heavily on the spot she just vacated. A blink later his hands were on either side of her head, resting casually on the tree. 

“I win,” gloated Loz. “Do I get my pr--” His voiced cut off as Sassi seemed to melt. She had slipped smoothly to the ground. Loz glanced down in time to see a round bottom crawling through his legs. 

Sassi couldn’t help herself. She was giggling like a silly little girl as she made her way on all fours. She squealed when Loz’s large hands grabbed her middle and dragged her back to him. Sassi rolled over to face her opponent. Loz kneeled over her, and emitted a vibrating chuckle Sassi could feel through their connecting thighs. 

“I still win.” His grin changed slightly and he placed a hand on either side of her head, palms against the dirt. Effectively trapping his tracker. Sassi knew she could still slither away, but those alien eyes had her captivated. Loz lowered his head until their lips were a mere breath apart.

“No you didn’t. I knew you were in the tree and you know it. I win.” Her voice was raspy and Sassi realized she was holding her breath. She inhaled deeply, her chest rising. Her breasts grazed Loz’s chest. A tingling excitement swept over her. Adrenaline began pumping, causing her to breathe faster and with each lungful of air her body made contact with the mountain of a man pinning her to the ground. 

She didn’t pause to think. Stretching her neck slightly upwards she closed the miniscule gap between them. His lips molded to the contours of hers and she felt his surprise turn quickly into something primal. Their physical contact didn’t start a vision, rather it conveyed Loz’s emotions. This emboldened Sassi further and just as she was about to break apart, Loz slid a hand under her neck and deepened the kiss. 

She grabbed his belt and pulled him off his knees, wanting to feel him on her whole body. A hand slid up to explore his back. Trailing a fingernail along his shirt loving the way the material sounded. Loz trailed his mouth to her earlobe and sucked gently. Sassi nearly purred. He then moved down a bit more and nipped her neck. She gasped and he chuckled. Again Sassi could feel the vibration of his voice, and the thrill it evoked. Loz toyed with her mouth. Keeping the kisses light, when she obviously wanted more. 

Sassi ducked her head and nipped him back. He growled and their tongues made war as the passion of the moment overtook them both. Loz swept an arm under her back and rolled her atop him. A hand snaked under her shirt and Sassi went rigid.

“I think you owe me a chicken dance.” Sassi said with a smirk, effectively dousing Loz’s arousal.

Loz sighed, defeated. She really had won, after all.

“All right.” He said. “What do I have to do again?”

 

* * *

 

“Gotcha!” Harmony said as she finally landed a blow to Kadaj’s cheek.

“Very good, Harmony, you’re getting faster every-what the hell?!” Yazoo said.

Harmony and Kadaj stopped their sparring and followed Yazoo’s gaze. 

The sight that met them was a nearly naked Loz running in circles and zig-zags through the meadow, flapping his arms, scuffing his feet, bobbing his head… and clucking like a chicken.

“What the hell is he doing?!” Yazoo hissed. “He’s making a fool of himself!”

Harmony said nothing, merely smiled. ‘I’ll bet Sassi has something to do with this…’ she thought to herself.

Then Loz ran to the three of them. He got right up in Kadaj’s face, eyes wide and arms flailing wildly.

“BAWK! BAWKAW!” He clucked, and then did the same to Harmony, who was trying -in vain- not to laugh, and finally did it to Yazoo.

“Loz!” Yazoo barked. “Stop it! You’re embarrassing! For the love of Gaia, have you no shame?!”

Loz stopped squawking and looked to the other end of the field at Sassi before glancing back to his brother and giving a broad smile. 

“Uh-uh. BAWKAW!” And he was gone, running to the rest of the group and giving them the same treatment.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Okay, I have to admit, that is pretty funny.” Yazoo admitted as the group sat around a large campfire.

“I still have to pay you back for that, you know!” Loz said. “I bet you can’t catch all of us in one night!”

Sassi’s eyes went wide. Then a devious smirk found its way across her features. “Same terms?” She crooned.

“You bet.” Loz said.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa… What did you just nominate us for?" Yuffie asked, scooting closer to Reno than the redhead was comfortable with.

Loz and Sassi explained the exercise.

“Hell yeah!” Zack said, standing up. “I’m in! Who else?” There was a chorus of affirmative answers, even Vincent and Sephiroth, the most anti-social of the group agreeing to play along.

“Alright. Sassi, you have until dawn to find each and every one of us.” Harmony reiterated the rules.

“Got it. You have fifteen minutes to hide.” Sassi answered.

She watched as everyone blended in with the trees.

And the hunt was on.


	21. Hide and Seek, Part I

Chapter 21

 

“Okay. I got it. Thanks, Zack. I know how much you hate losing.” Aerith whispered. She gave Zack a peck on the lips, which he caught and returned in the couple’s first real kiss.

Aerith was blushing as she pulled away. She smiled and with a final peck on the cheek, she slipped into the bushes as she heard the tell-tale signs of Sassi’s approach.

“Heya.” She heard Zack say. She quickly climbed a tree and lay her hands on the bark. Whispering softly, she gave her plea. A feeling of parental amusement tingled across her senses, before a soft voice trickled through her thoughts.

“Yes, little one. We will help you. It is good to speak to Nature’s Children again.”

 

“Thank you.” She whispered with a smile. She ran her hands lovingly across the bark, watching Sassi as she came to the very tree she hid in, trailing her own bare fingers across it.

!@#$%^&*()

“Heya.” Zack said as Sassi entered the small clearing.

Sassi stopped, confused. Wasn’t the point to hide from her? What was he up to?

“What are you doing?” She asked. She looked him over. Zack was sitting in the center of the clearing with his legs and arms crossed, wearing a big, cheesy smile.

“Oh, you know. I figured with your power and all, you’d be able to beat me in a heartbeat. Why even try?”

‘Okay, now I know something’s up…’ Sassi thought to herself.

“I see.” she went along. “Well, head back to the cabin. You’re caught. The other’s will be along shortly.”

Zack smirked like he was sitting on the biggest secret. “Oh yeah. I’m sure they’ll be back real soon.” With that, he jumped up and rushed past Sassi, heading back toward the cabin.

Sassi shook her head, confused. Something was up. She shook it off and kept walking further into the forest. Noticing a small footprint at the base of a tree, she let her fingers graze the bark. An image of Aerith stopping at that tree and trying to climb it floated across her mind. She watched in her vision as the young Cetra tried in vain to find purchase on the tree, but was unable to, looking behind her and fleeing into the forest as she heard Sassi approach.

“Gotcha…” Sassi smiled, taking off in the direction her vision pointed her in.

High in the tree above her, Aerith stifled a laugh. “Thank you,” She said quietly, “This will be so good for her!” One more wave of amusement from the tree she perched in, and Aerith jumped to the ground, sauntering off in the opposite direction that Sassi had gone.

!@#$%^&*()

“Oh, shit!” Harmony giggled quietly, clutching onto the chuckling Kadaj as her foot caught on an exposed root. The two stumbled in the darkness for a moment in hushed laughter before Kadaj helped her right herself.

“Shhh!” He hushed, “She’ll hear us and then this plan will be useless!” he chuckled.

“Sorry. Come on, I hear the waterfall. We’re almost there.” Harmony smiled, grabbing Kadaj’s hand and leading him through the labyrinth of trees and tall bushes.

The thundering sound of water grew as they drew closer to their destination. They cleared the trees and Kadaj let out a sound of wonder at the sight of the rushing, violent waterfall.

“Oh, wow…” He said.

“Yeah. This is one of my favorite spots.”

“Then, won’t this be one of the first places Sassi will look for you?” Kadaj asked, confused and irritated at Harmony’s logic.

“Absolutely not. This would be the last place she would look. She knows I’m not stupid enough to come to such an obvious place. Plus, if Aerith’s plan works, the trees will lead Sassi in circles for hours.”

“Ah, I see. Kadaj said with a smile. “How very devious of you.”

“I know, right?” Harmony smirked.

“Well, if we’re going to be here for hours, what will we do?” Kadaj asked, the sweet breeze of the warm summer night rustling his shining locks.

Harmony smiled seductively. “I’ll admit, I sort of had ulterior motives. The other’s know not to come this way, we claimed this path.” She slowly started removing her t-shirt. Her shorts followed, leaving her in nothing but her sports bra and boy shorts. She backed away from Kadaj until she felt the ledge leading down into the pool behind her. Turning from Kadaj, she glanced at the water. With one last beckoning smile, she dove from the ledge with a graceful swan dive. When she resurfaced, it was to the sight of Kadaj already in his boxers and standing on the ledge, preparing for his own dive into the cool water. He landed not a foot from her, but did not immediately resurface.

“Kadaj?” Harmony called, knowing that the thundering waterfall would mask her voice from Sassi if she were near.

She received no reply, and could spot no sign of the Remnant. “Kada-Oh!” she exclaimed when she felt hands on her hips, pulling at her panties. The garment was pulled from her legs and a pale hand reached out of the water to toss them accurately to the shore. How the hell did he do that?!

Harmony wasn’t given time to think about it too much, as she very soon felt a different wetness running across her hip, Kadaj’s dark hair slowly rising from the water as his tongue trailed its way up Harmony’s stomach to lap at the underside of her covered breast.

Harmony moaned softly. 

“You little minx.” Kadaj accused in a husky voice. “Ulterior motives, indeed.” He swam toward the shallows where he could find a more solid stance to hold the young woman more steady.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Harmony said innocently. In truth, she really hadn’t come here for this…even if she had been hoping for it.

“Right. Of course.” Kadaj pandered. He rose to his full height and let her slide down his body, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing her close to him. “You’re a bit on the bold side, tonight…” He crooned nuzzling her nose with his and letting out a deep chuckle as her breath caught at his closeness. “I like it.” With that, he pressed their lips together.

Harmony sighed at the feel of his soft lips against hers. Her lips parted and she caught his bottom lip between her teeth, gently applying pressure. He growled at her action and pressed his still-clothed hips against her, catching her top lip between his teeth and laving his tongue across it.

Harmony moaned in her throat, releasing Kadaj’s lip and threading her fingers through his wet hair.

“Do you want me to touch you? I’m not going to ask, like last time, Lady. You want it, you’ll have to tell me.” He breathed against the corner of her mouth.

Harmony did want it, but she wanted other things, first. She felt so confident and safe tonight. She didn’t want to waste it by acting like a timid little girl. She looked him dead in the eye.

“Not yet.” She answered. Gathering her courage, she pulled out of his grasp and lifted her sports bra over her head, tossing it in the general direction of the shore.

Kadaj looked at her, vaguely shocked at her forwardness. He groaned at the sight of her full breasts, the nipples hardening to tight pebbles as the cool water lapped at her skin.

“Just let me touch you for a while?” She asked, shyly. “Before I lose my nerve?” She stepped back into his arms and pressed her hands to his chest, her fingers spreading to take in a much of him as she could.

Kadaj’s breath left him with a shudder and he nodded his head, wrapping his arms around her and running his hands up and down her back. He clamped down on his control to keep from flat out ravishing her and scaring her away as her hands trailed down his sculpted chest, running the backs of her fingers across the smooth skin just above the waistband of his boxers.

“Harmony…” he shivered.

“You’re so beautiful, Kadaj. Just amazing.” She muttered, mostly to herself. Her hands trailed over his abs and around to his back, pulling him against her and pressing her bare breasts to his chest. She shivered at the contact, and then suddenly pulled away from him. “Come on.” She said, grasping his hand and swimming towards the waterfall.

He followed her silently, internally blessing the cool water for its help in calming his over-eager body. She led him behind the wall of water to a moonlit cavern, climbing out of the water and moving over to allow him to see their surroundings. There was a soft mat on the floor, next to a plastic lounge chair and a small plastic table.

“I used to come here all the time. When we hold coven meetings, its nice to have a place to go to get away from all of the people.” She explained. She led him to the lounge chair, turning him around and pressing on his shoulders, coaxing him to sit. He did as she wished, laying back against the cool plastic and lifting his legs up onto the rest.

Harmony felt like the luckiest woman alive as she took in the sight of the gorgeous male spread out before her, gazing at her with eyes filled with lust. She ran her hands down his chest and gripped the waist of his boxers, coaxing him to lift his hips and removing them when he did. She avoided looking at him there, knowing that if she did, she’d lose her already fragile courage. She cautiously climbed atop him, straddling his legs and being careful not to let herself come into contact with that part of him. Leaning down, she feathered kisses along his collarbone, working her way down, and working herself up to her decided task.

When she reached his stomach and her destination became clear to Kadaj, he hurriedly threaded his fingers in her hair and stopped her, pulling her up to face him. As much as he wanted her mouth on him, he wanted other things more, and he didn’t want her moving to fast and setting them back.

“Kadaj, what-”

“You don’t have to do that. I’d rather take care of you.”

“But-” He silenced her with a kiss, and didn’t even ask permission before going straight for the goods. If he wanted to have any hope of controlling himself, he had to gain the upper hand again. Harmony gasped as his hand came into contact with her heated flesh. 

He stroked her quickly, feeling how wet she already was and needing this to be over so he could regain control of his body.

“Oh my Gods…” he groaned, “You’re always so wet for me…” he pulled her forward and nuzzled the valley between her breasts, all the while gazing up into her eyes as she panted her pleasure. Still keeping eye contact, he slowly trailed his mouth to the tip of one breast, his tongue sneaking out to flick across a distended nipple. She jerked and moaned, and with an answering sound, Kadaj took her into his mouth, his tongue flicking and teeth nipping softly.

“Kadaj!” Harmony gasped. His fingers fluttered madly against her clit, pushing her closer and closer to the edge of oblivion. She had hoped to be the one in control tonight, hoped to draw it out. She soon realized, however, that a slow pace was impossible where Kadaj was concerned. When she finally managed to get past her reservations, she was too far gone to even care about how fast it was happening.

At her choked prayer, he yanked her against him, stroking her with more vigor.

She arched against his mouth as he sucked and pulled hard on her nipple. “Inside…!” She choked, trailing her hand down her body to join with his and force his middle finger inside of her. He complied, adding another finger as well, and making sure that his palm never ceased contact with her clit. He set a fast pace, not rough, but no where near gentle, either. Before long, Harmony was rocking against him, her body forcing her center, along with his hand, against his now straining erection. The noises she made in the back of her throat were driving him insane. He was bucking against her each time their bodies would meet.

Her orgasm hit her out of nowhere. She ground down hard on his hand and forced his mouth from her breast to meet with hers, biting down on his lip with bruising force as she fought not to scream.

Kadaj groaned in pain and pleasure as he felt her insides fluttering around his fingers, and her teeth digging into his lip. He continued to slide his fingers into her, prolonging her pleasure until she was fighting his grip to pull her over-sensitive body away.

“Oh, oh God…” she panted the mantra over and over as Kadaj held her close to him, his face buried in her neck.

Slowly, her breathing calmed and she was able to form rational thought once more. ‘Damnit!’ She thought. ‘He took control again!’ If taking initiative didn’t work, perhaps she should try a different approach. She longed to make him lose control, the way he did to her.

“Kadaj…” She whispered, running her fingers down his chest and boldly wrapping them around his erection. He jerked and gasped and she smiled. “Please… just let me. I know you like it.” She said, sliding down his body and placing feather-light kisses across his abdomen.

“Harmony,” He struggled to gasp, “what if you-”

“I won’t.” She interrupted. “Just try to hold still. Let me do the work.”

Kadaj wasn’t given time to speak. His only reply was a loud groan and the sound of his head hitting plastic as it fell backwards to collide with the back of the chair.

Harmony took him into her mouth as far as she felt she could, reminding herself that this was Kadaj, that she was doing this because she wanted to make him feel the way he made her feel.

‘Its Kadaj.’ She told herself. ‘Its Kadaj. Its Kadaj. Its Kadaj.’

The man above her let out another loud sound of pleasure as she swallowed around him. She looked up to his bright, glowing cat eyes staring down at her, glazed over with passion. It gave her courage. She pressed further, careful not to choke herself on his impressive length. Those unnatural eyes closed tightly and he threw his head back, baring his throat to her. His hands came up to thread through her hair, but he stopped himself, fingers curling into fists and hands coming to rest at his sides.

Harmony felt reassured that he was trying not to push her too far. She reached up, taking his hands in hers and placing them on her head. He gave in, his fingers knotting in her golden-brown hair. He shook with the effort of holding himself still, of not bucking up into that delicious, hot mouth. Her hands that covered his left, one coming to grip what she couldn’t engulf of his erection, the other shyly cupping his sac. 

“Fuck!” He cursed as she sucked hard. If she kept this up, he was going to explode. Or at least embarrass himself. He was no ‘one minute man’, but she was in danger of turning him into one. He groaned again, almost whining as he felt the strings in his belly tighten, preparing to snap. He hurried to pull her head away, somehow knowing that she would not appreciate him coming in her mouth. Not yet. She refused to budge, and Kadaj started to panic. He was not going to last for another second if she didn’t-

“Ew. Kadaj and Harmony, behind the waterfall. Looks like there really is a lot of bush in this forest.” Came Sassi’s voice. “I hope you’re using protection.”

Kadaj could have cried. Really and truly cried. At Sassi’s voice, Harmony jerked away from him, leaving him right on the brink of climax only to painfully deny him.

“I’m going to maim that woman.” He said.

“You took the words right out of my mouth.” Harmony agreed.

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi wandered the forest for nearly half an hour, searching for Aerith. Each tree she came into contact with showed her that the young Cetra was only just on the other side of a clearing, or a tree, or a bush. Finally, she gave up, thinking to find the woman when she was more worn out. She touched the tree next to her, sending her energy out into the forest and searching. Her mind followed a bright line through the trees until she saw Harmony pulling Kadaj along through the forest, heading in the direction of the waterfall.

“Idiot.” She said to herself with a smirk.

She took off at a run, the full moon giving her plenty of light to navigate through the trees. Soon, she could hear the rushing of the waterfall. She was about to slip behind the wall of water, when she noticed something out of place on the forest floor. Two piles of … was that clothes?

“Oh God, gross!” Sassi whined. Well, at least she found two more.

“Ew. Kadaj and Harmony, behind the waterfall!” She called. She heard a keen of painful frustration and blushed. She really was interrupting something. She didn’t give either of them time to come out, looking for her blood. Instead, she took off into the trees once more, only stopping to gather her surroundings when she was sure she wasn’t being followed. She pressed her hand to a low-hanging branch and smiled when she got an image of Cloud and Tifa sneaking along the path she had followed. Shaking the mental image of her best friend doing the dirty from her mind, she smiled, opening her senses and creeping along the trail, searching for her next victim. 

As much as she craved tasting the smooth lips of the eldest Remnant again, a challenge was issued, and she refused to lose face.

Three down, sixteen to go.


	22. Hide and Seek, Part II

Chapter 22

“Watch, as the mighty huntress stalks her prey… Hehehe I kill myself.” Sassi cackled quietly as she snuck along the trail. Each tree she touched showed that Cloud and Tifa were right in from of her. Stopping to run her fingers across another tree, she continued in her fake, shoddy Australian accent.

“The lioness takes pause, sensing something amiss with the fleeing targets. She uses her extraordinary senses to assert a new direction and…-GOTCHA!” Sassi cried, jumping around the tree she had just touched, giddy at finally finding…nothing? “What in the world is going on here! I know what I saw!” 

Suddenly, she felt a wave of amusement hit her. Amusement that was not her own.

“We had to even the odds, little one. ‘Twas only fair. And the sweet child asked so nicely…” Came a foreign voice. The tree? The tree was actually talking to her?! 

“What ‘sweet child’?” Sassi asked. She was instantly gifted with a vision of Aerith. “Why that little…!”

Sassi tore herself from the tree, a frustrated sound escaping her lips. How long had she been going in circles?! She growled. “Aerith! When I get my hands on you…!”

!@#$%^&*()

“Zack?” Harmony called as she and Kadaj entered the cabin. When she received no answer, she turned to Kadaj. “I guess he’s not here. He must’ve gone back to the meadow.”

“Good.” Kadaj said, grabbing Harmony by the hand and all but dragging her to their shared room. The room was also to be shared with Sassi, but, Kadaj thanked every God in existence, Sassi would not be back for hours.

The walk back to the cabin had been a few flames short of Hell for the Remnant, each swish of Harmony’s hips serving only to arouse him even more. When they reached the room, Harmony barely had time to close the door before she was whirled around and slammed against it.

“Kad-” She started. His lips cut her off, searing a white hot path of desire through her. She had planned to help him once they got back, but she hadn’t expected him to go savage on her.

She pushed at him, trying to get a word in. “Kadaj, we have hours, slow down, let me tou-”

“I can’t…” He panted, laving at the crook of her neck. “I can’t…” He thrust his clothed hips against hers, the proof of his desire still evident as it burned against her hip.

Harmony didn’t let up. She pushed against him again. “Kadaj, stop.” That was all she needed to say. With a tortured whine, the Remnant stepped away from her, turning his back and breathing hard. He desperately tried to get a hold on his control.

Harmony slowly followed to stand directly behind Kadaj. “Please, just relax. You’ve been very generous toward me, Kadaj. And I feel so free tonight. Let me take care of you this time. Please?” She trailed her hands around him and grasped the hem of his damp shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it into a dark corner of the room. His pants came next, though she hesitated at his boxers. Her courage was found again when Kadaj sucked in a choked breath and shuddered at the feeling of her hands so close to the part of him that screamed for attention. She slipped the cloth over his hips.

“Don’t turn around.” She said, knowing that if he looked at her, she would lose her nerve. She stepped away from him, glad when he complied with her wishes, and shed her own clothing. Returning to his back, she slowly, cautiously, pressed herself to him, folding her supple curves to his hard muscle and reaching around to tease her hand across the skin just below his navel.

And then, the most beautiful sound filled her ears. Kadaj keened, pressing his body back into hers and reaching his hands around to grip her hips. Harmony placed hot kisses along his shoulder and up the side of his neck, her body shaking with anxiety and desire. Reaching further, she finally, blessedly, took him into her hand, running a warm palm across smooth skin. She set a quick rhythm, stroking with a tight grip and nipping at his neck.

Kadaj squirmed, trying desperately to hold to that last sliver of control, which was rapidly vanishing under Harmony’s ministrations. He reached further behind him, running his hands blindly across her hips and to the juncture of her thighs. He found her wet, still… Or again. He wasn’t really sure, and didn’t really care. It was an awkward position, but he managed to find that little bud that would send her just as close to insanity as he was.

They stroked each other for what felt like years, but really, only could have been a few short seconds. Harmony whimpered in Kadaj’s ear, her hot breath rushing across his neck and giving him goose bumps, and that proved to be all he could handle. He spun around and tackled Harmony to the wall by the door. Hiking her leg around his waist, he aligned himself, and thrust deep within her.

He froze, horrified as he realized what he had done. He immediately looked up to gauge her reaction. Her eyes were wide and her mouth open in a shocked ‘O’. She stared at him in alarm, her fingernails digging crescent-shaped marks into his shoulders. He backed away quickly, intending to remove himself from her.

“Oh Gods, I’m sorry, Harmony, I didn’t-”

“Wait-!” Harmony said, tightening her legs around his waist to keep him close to her. He stared at her, anxious.

Harmony’s head was spinning. Kadaj had pinned her so quickly that she didn’t realize what was happening until he was already inside of her. She should have felt angry. Livid, even. But she didn’t. She felt… well, she wasn’t sure what she felt, but she sure as hell didn’t want it to stop.

“Don’t stop.” She whispered, pulling his face to hers. “We’ll talk later. Just don’t stop.” She pressed her lips to his and moved her hips against him, giving a small cry at the jolt of pleasure that shot through her.

Kadaj gave in. He groaned into the kiss as he drew back, only to sink back inside once again.

At that one movement, the dam seemed to break and he was suddenly thrusting against her with more strength than she should have been able to handle, but she wasn’t stopping him. No, she was egging him on with little whimpers and moans, pleading for more, faster, harder, right there, until he was burning with need. He wrapped his arms under hers, placing his hands on her shoulders, and buried his face in her neck. Using this new leverage, he pulled her down onto him, his movements harsh and jerky, causing choked cries to pour from her kiss-swollen lips, right into his ear.

He felt her inner muscles clamp down on him, and his moans joined hers, the knowledge that she was about to find her pleasure only intensifying his.

“Touch me!” She choked out. “Please!”

She didn’t have to tell him twice. His hand left her shoulder, diving between their bodies and angling to rub that spot in just the right way and she was instantly exploding in his arms, her insides clamping down and forcing him to follow her in his much-needed release. With a last minute thought and exclamation of concern, he pulled himself from her body, grasping himself in hand and finishing himself off.

They slumped to the floor in a heap, both panting and heaving, trying to regain their breath.

“I’m sorry.” He said against her skin.

“We’ll talk later.” Harmony answered, “Bed. Carry me. I can’t walk.”

In the midst of his anxiety, Kadaj found it within himself to smirk with male pride. She couldn’t walk. Fabulous…

 

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi glared at the forest around her. The trees had seemingly relented and allowed her their own, amused form of help. They allowed her to see the area in which a person was hiding, but would not show her their exact location.

She was currently on the trail of the Dread General himself, having seen a vision of him leaping into the canopy above her. She peered into the leaves, trying to find something that would give her a clue to the SOLDIER’s hiding place. Finally, when she was about to give in, she spotted it. Smooth, brown silk hanging from between the branches directly above her. It looked as though it was arranged to resemble a spider web. She chuckled to herself.

“Sephiroth. Right above me. Spider webs aren’t chesnut brown.”

There was a loud “WHOOSH” and Sephiroth was suddenly standing right next to her.

“Impressive.” He said with his usual indifference.

Sassi grinned. “Thanks. Back to the cabin with you, Sir. You are caught.”

Sephiroth smirked and nodded his head, vaulting to the canopy and disappearing yet again. Sassi shook her head at his acrobatics and laid her hand on the tree she stood beside. An image of Reno and Rude lurking clearing about a mile ahead breezed through her mind. She smiled and quickly jogged to the clearing.

When she reached her desired destination, she stopped and stood still, the only sounds being those of the forest, and her breath as she calmed her racing heart.

She glanced around the clearing, expecting it to be difficult to find the two men. She was wrong. Jutting out from behind a large bush, was a shock of brilliant red hair. It seemed a soft, shining maroon in the moonlight. Still, it was undeniably Reno.

“Reno. Jesus. I thought the idea was to make this hard on me. Wasn’t that the whole reason for Aerith talking the trees into leading me around in circles?”

He didn’t move. Didn’t make a sound. Sassi huffed. “Reno, I know you’re back there. I can see your hair.”

A soft exclamation, and then he spoke in an obviously disguised voice. “Uh, no! Its not Reno. This is some other guy with absolutely sexy red hair. Don’t mind me…shit, Rude, she‘s onto us! She found out the plan!” He whispered.

Sassi rolled her eyes and made her way behind the bush to stand in front of him. “You’re such a retard, Reno.”

He look up at her, guilty. Beside him, Rude only stared, unamused, it seemed. “Alright you two.” Sassi said. “Back to the cabin. You’re busted.” Reno grumbled, but rose from the ground, nearly dragging the bald man along with him.

 

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi had walked through the forest for another few hours, failing to find any of those whom the trees showed her. Yazoo… She knew the moment she saw the vision of him and Cissnei sneaking into a dense area of the forest, that she wouldn’t find him. Not until the trees decided to cooperate again. Yuffie was the same. Tseng, Elena, Angeal, Genesis, and Aerith also proved impossible to locate. She abandoned those searches, deciding to come back later and try again.

She had run across Cloud and Tifa, and Cid and Barrett, sending them home quickly before setting off to find the rest. The trees showed her a vision of Loz speeding through the forest in the direction of the water fall where she had found Kadaj and Harmony. Sighing in aggravation, as she had already been in that area, she took off at a brisk pace, hoping that she could at least find Loz.

When she reached the waterfall, she laid her hand of the rock ledge at her feet, peering down into the water and trying to catch a glimpse of blonde-and-silver hair. The rock gave her a vision of Loz stripping down to his boxers for the second time that night, and canon-balling into the water. But he wasn’t in the pool. Still, Sassi was confident that he was still in the area.

A sudden gust of wind nearly knocked her into the water. She let out a tiny scream and then whirled around to see Loz standing behind her.

“You ass! You scared me-” She cut herself short, noting the mud drawn in war stripes across his cheeks, and the sock tired around his head that held a large, dark feather up in the back.

“Hey Chief, where’s the pow wow?”

Loz smiled a toothy grin. “Me Big Chief. Me take’m squaw to teepee. Make’m heap good time.” He said. He then raised his fists and began beating on his chest, crying out like Tarzan.

“Oi. Wrong movie.” Sassi said, and with a smirk, she grabbed him by his shoulders and hauled him toward her, sidestepping at the last minute and shoving him off of the ledge and into the pool of water below.

He resurfaced, coughing and choking, and shot her a murderous glare, only to freeze and hold his breath at the sight he found. Sassi had removed her clothes down to her under things, and was preparing to leap into the water.

“GERONIMO!!!!!!!” She yelled, jumping from the ledge. She giggles internally at her pun. When she resurfaced, she turned to face Loz. “So. Where’d you get the feather? I’ve never seen one like that before.”

“Sephiroth. Plucked it right out of his wing. I thought he was gonna kill me.” He then got a contemplative look on his face. “I really don’t understand how he doesn’t just fly around in a circle. He only has one wing.”

Sassi shook her head. ‘Sephiroth has a wing?’ She wasn’t given too much time to think about it, as Loz had somehow managed to twirl around behind her and was, at that moment, trying to drown her.

“Loz!” She coughed between his shoves, “Stop! I swear to God I’ll fry you!” She threatened. Loz laughed good-naturedly, but relented, pulling her into his arms from behind.

The strangest thing happened to Sassi, then. Instead of seeing anything, even the fuzzy images she expected from the Remnant, she felt something. An emotion that she was instantly able to identify as not her own. Loz was nervous. Excited, and feeling a little playful, but nervous. She turned in his arms and looked up at him, taking the opportunity to really get a good look at his face.

His high cheek bones, while making most men look rather feminine, actually accentuated the muscles of his face. His jaw was sharp, his eyes slightly slanted. It was the eyes that captivated her most of all. Bright green, nearly yellow, with slitted pupils. He reminded her of a cat. A cat stalking a butterfly. She was the butterfly.

If she was honest with herself, she had to admit that she, too, was a bit nervous. Intimacy was something she had only participated in a few times, and each time was more disappointing than the last. But she also had to admit that she desperately wanted to try with Loz. She immediately was caught in a fantasy. 

Those big, muscular arms encircling, the powerful legs holding her own hostage, that broad, granite hard chest pressed to hers…

Loz cleared his throat, and Sassi realized that she had been running her eyes over the aforementioned parts of his body.

“Squaw like’m what Squaw see?” He said in a husky voice. Sassi shivered.

“Oh yes, Big Chief. What were you saying about a teepee?”


	23. Big Chief

Chapter 23

The waterfall pounded beyond the cave entrance. A swift moving wall which contrasted sharply with the utter stillness in Loz. His eyes the only thing that shifted as they raked over her skin. Sassi had millions of tiny goose shivers and he didn’t need special vision to notice her soft curves. Nipples threatened to push through the thin cotton of her top. Sassi was uncomfortable with that predatory gaze and was the polar opposite. She fidgeted, suddenly nervous about what she planned to do. Rubbing her right arm up and down her left. Loz noticed the movement forced her breasts to rise and squeeze together. He forced himself to keep still, despite this, his hand raised to cup Sassi’s face as he leaned down. 

His hand was warm and trembling slightly. Was he as nervous as her? Sassi thought. Sassi didn’t resist as the hand on her head urged her forward. The shift in balance misdirected her lips and she slammed her nose into that cursedly hard chest. 

She sucked in her breath, “Ah, dammit. That was real sexy.”

Suddenly Loz’s face was nearly upside down in front of her, “Big Chief no see blood. Many warriors have broken more than nose on Big Chief. Sqaw fine. . .?” 

Sassi huffed at the mockery in his voice. Slapping his head away she tried to put some distance between them, thinking the whole attempt was botched, but a strong arm gathered her in. She liked the feel of those arms, a little too much. She looked over her shoulder at him and noticed she was only as tall as his nipple. Fascinated, she lightly flicked it. Quickly he reciprocated. The game was on. Whatever Sassi did, he did back. Loz was shocked when her moist mouth covered the stinging. When she broke away he hesitated just long enough to pull her top down exposing her flesh before taking her into his own mouth. Sassi squawked and began to wriggle, but he hefted her against the cave wall. 

His mouth remembered the soft curve of her neck and inched up. Sassi locked her hands in his hair. Clenching when he nipped. She pulled his lips to meet hers and hungrily kissed him. Loz’s hands grabbed her around the waist, as he slightly bucked against her. She lifted a leg around him and met his thrust with her own. Loz scooped his hand under her and lifted her off her feet. Sassi clung onto him, feeling the quivering heat under her bottom. She let one hand trail down his chest, scratching ever so lightly, and dipp between their bodies. He almost whimpered when her hand began rubbing him through the fabric of his boxers. Loz pressed closer, wanting her to hold him. 

Sassi broke their kiss and panted in his ear, “Loz, your squishing me against a rock!” All he could manage in reply was a deep ‘humph’ and in the next instant Sassi found herself lying on the mat across the cavern, Loz atop her. 

This time Loz hesitated, “Sassi, if I hurt you--”

“Shh,” she cut him off, “I want this, Loz.” Her legs tightened around his hips and her hands cupped his face, “I want you.” Something softened in Loz’s eyes. He disentangled himself from her creamy limbs, his hands found the waist of her underwear and began to draw them down. Once the garment was off Sassi began to sit up, but Loz placed a hand on her chest and urged her back down. He ran his other hand back up her leg. Up her stomach to cup a breast. Fondling it much more gently than their previous attention. Squeezing the nipple slightly, he captured her gasp with his mouth. Her sounds were too much for him to bear, he tried to contain himself but his release came too fast. 

Sassi was left naked and dumbfounded as Loz sped to the wall of water. By the time Sassi sat up, Loz had stripped off his soiled boxers and stood on the precipice under the torrent. She saw him fling the wadded cloth into the pool. He hung his head and let the water pound on his shoulders. Soft, small hands smoothed along his sides and met over his belly button. He felt a kiss, just as soft, on his back. Sassi strummed his abs, stroking up and down, venturing lower with every dip. When they reached their destination, they were surprised to find a hard surface. Sassi took hold of him lightly, moving down slowly. Back and forth, in a rhythmic motion. Her other hand clenched his thigh as she pressed her whole body to him. 

Loz grabbed her wrist and pulled her away, in a flash Sassi was in his arms, lips locked, once again lying on the mat. His thickness pressed to her thigh. Water ran down his face to drip on hers, but nothing was going to stop her this time. Loz parted her woman’s lips with a finger and began to move around. Sassi whimpered in his mouth. Her arms came around his back and urged him on. She knew she needed to feel him inside her so she grabbed him once again and directed him. He thrust so slowly nonetheless, Sassi felt something inside her shift. She grabbed his buttocks and lifted her hips until he was completely buried. Loz was reluctant to move. Sassi nipped his neck and whispered. 

“Move,” she commanded. 

He did her bidding, so slowly. But he couldn’t do that for long as she moved her hips in time with his own. Soon he was pumping away and it felt like they were crashing into one another. Her legs held him in, arms around his neck. Her high panting loud in his ear urged him to go deeper, faster. Sassi’s nails began digging into his neck. Her body tensed around him. He gave a few more heated thrusts and let out a low growl, which Sassi copied and their lips met one last time before their energy was completely spent. 

“Well.” Sassi panted, “That was MUCH more interesting than training with Hari.”

Loz let out a sharp bark of laughter. “I sure hope so!”


	24. Reflections

Chapter 24

 

Harmony stared at the shadows of the leaves on her ceiling. Kadaj was sleeping next to her. It had been awkward, laying with him after their encounter. She had tried to think of a way to say what she needed to say, but could think of nothing that wouldn’t upset the Remnant.

She wasn’t really even sure how she felt about it. She liked Kadaj, sure, probably even more than liked him- She cut those thoughts off immediately, not ready to deal with that and this.

She wouldn’t say that she didn’t enjoy herself, quite the opposite, actually, Kadaj was mind-blowing, but… this was just something she wasn’t ready for. She was no-where near emotionally stable enough to deal with a physical relationship of this magnitude. 

But how could she say it? ‘Hey Kadaj, you’re an absolutely amazing lay, but I think we need to take it slow.’

Yeah, right. That would go over so well.

Meanwhile, Kadaj was not asleep, as Harmony thought. He had tried, but the thoughts flying through his head made his head swim and the room almost seemed to spin.

‘Is this what it feels like to be afraid?’ He thought to himself. He knew that Harmony was awake as well, her occasional sighs causing his muscles to tense. He hoped she didn’t notice.

He realized without too much internal argument, that the emotion he was feeling was anxiety. And he didn’t like it, not one bit. He was terrified of the talk that Harmony had spoken of. Would she be angry? Would she kick him out? Would she never want to speak to him again? What if she-

‘Stop it.’ He snapped internally. ‘I’m being ridiculous. She liked it, she told me not to stop. And I’m sure her other lover’s never asked permission.’

‘Her other lovers were before her rape, Jackass.’ his mind supplied the answer he least wanted to know.

He scoffed, instantly regretting it when he felt Harmony tense beside him.

“Kadaj?” She asked hesitantly.

“I’m awake.” he answered. His worry that she would turn him away multiplied when the girl sat up, pulling away from him and hugging her knees to her chest.

“Good. Can we talk?”

He sighed. “Yeah.”

Harmony’s mind swirled. Everything she hadn’t wanted to say tumbled out in a flood of jumbled, incoherent words.

“Look I like you I really really do-even more than like you but really Kadaj this is all just so fast and we only just met not even a full month ago and I’ve already done things with you that I never thought I’d ever-”

“Stop!” He said, more loudly than he intended. “Just say what you need to say, you’re stating the obvious.” Even to his own ears, he sounded irritated and unapproachable.

“We need to-”

‘This is it, she’s going to tell me that she doesn’t want me-’

“-slow down. I like you, and I like being with you… most of the time, anyway… but we need to slow down. I’m… I don’t think I’m ready for… I’m not ready to-”

Kadaj cut her off, gently placing a finger to her lips. “I understand.” He said, his voice warmer than before. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop myself before. You should know, Hari, that I’m not known to be a patient person. But I’m trying.” His heart was fluttering madly, his pulse pounding in his throat. He swallowed the feeling down, along with his anxiety. She was okay. They were okay. She wasn’t going to kick him out of her life…

‘Wait a minute.’ He thought. ‘Why the hell do I even care?!’

The answer struck him hard enough that he physically blanched. He saw Harmony’s lips move, most likely asking if he was alright. He simply nodded his head, laying down and dragging her back with him. 

He tucked her head into the crook of his neck and let his heartbeat lull her to sleep, and then carefully slipped out of bed. He tucked the blanket around her, dressed silently, and with one last confused look at the woman on the bed, he slipped out of the room.

Yazoo would know.

 

!@#$%^&*()

 

“So, what did you do that made the rest of them hate you so much?” Cissnei quietly asked Yazoo. The two were hiding high in the boughs of a massive pine tree. That had been a painful climb.

“Shhh!” He hushed her. She took a moment to let her gaze roam over his face. He had pulled the collar of his turtleneck up over his face in a make-shift ninja mask and had his hair tied in a knot at the base of his neck.

“You’re taking this way too seriously.” Cissnei chuckled.

“Shhh!” He hissed, “Shush! She’ll hear us! Use hand signals!”

Cissnei sighed. “Like I said. Taking things too seriously.” She sat quietly after that, wondering to herself how exactly Yazoo knew the TURK’s hand signals.

 

!@#$%^&*()

 

Loz awoke feeling a strange vibration against his side. After taking a moment to figure out where he was, he realized that the vibration he felt was actually Sassi as she shivered in her sleep. 

Giving a small sound of concern, the Eldest Remnant rose from the thin mat on the floor of the cave and carefully slipped outside the waterfall. He climbed to the top and dressed quickly, before gathering Sassi’s clothes and trying to avoid getting wet when he returned to Sassi’s side. He lifted the sleeping woman into his arms, smiling when she sighed and nuzzled into his chest, and left the cave, heading back to the cabin as fast as he could while carrying a passenger.

 

!@#$%^&*()

 

Kadaj sat in utter silence on the porch swing. He had taken a while to search for Yazoo, but he knew that even as a Remnant himself, unless Yazoo wanted to be found, he wouldn’t be. And so, after a fruitless search, he returned to the cabin, though he couldn’t make himself go back to Harmony.

‘What is love?’ He though to himself. He knew the basic concept, of course, he knew the signs and symptoms. He ran through them in his head.

‘Can’t stop thinking about her. Check. Can’t sleep without her next to me. Check. Hate it when she cries, helpless when she smiles. Check, and check. Would give her anything if only she would ask. Check.’

But did he really love her? So soon? She was right, it had only been just under a month since they met. Just a few weeks since she brought them out here. 

And more - that he was even capable of love completely blew him away. She was changing him. Slowly, but surely, and with a hand of silken steel, she was changing all of them. Yazoo’s smiles held no malice. His laughter was no longer the psychotic ringing it used to be. Loz was more open, more willing to learn and accept, more willing to be accepted. Hell, even that blasted red-headed TURK wasn’t quite as obnoxious as he used to be.

He looked up to the sky, darkest blue with little diamond specks. So absorbed in his thoughts, he failed to notice a dark shadow coming upon the cabin.

“Harmony is asleep?” The gravelly voice startled Kadaj out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Vincent standing before him, Sephiroth at his side.

“Yeah.” He answered. He gave not a moment’s thought before asking the one question that Vincent Valentine hated more than anything in the world. “Have you ever been in love?”

Vincent froze, and even Sephiroth looked uncomfortable.

“Well… yes.” Vincent answered. 

“Did it change you?” Kadaj continued, looking back to the stars.

“Yes.” Vincent said, the pieces falling into place. To the gunman’s surprise, he found a smile threatening to spread across his face. “But it’s nothing. It changes you, but you find that those changes are the least that you’re willing to give to her.”

Kadaj only nodded.

“What you have to ask yourself, Kadaj, is not how she is changing you. Not what you’ve already given. What would you give her?”

“I know your story, Valentine. It might’ve looked like I wasn’t listening, but I heard it. You gave your own life for someone else. Is that what you want to hear? That I would die for her?”

“What would you do for her? What can you offer her?” Vincent said.

Kadaj looked the gunslinger in the eye, pouring every ounce of determination in his soul into that one, piercing gaze. He was angry that Vincent seemed to doubt his resolve. Seemed to doubt his feelings, or the truth behind them. Seemed to twist the conversation around and make him think even harder, damnit!

“Everything she wanted, I would lay it at her feet. I would hand her the world on fire.” He nearly snarled.

“That isn’t love. That’s obsession. This is the last advice I’ll give you, Remnant. The last question I’ll ask. What makes this supposed devotion to her any different from your devotion to Jenova?”

 

!@#$%^&*()

 

The Dread General listened to Vincent as he talked. In the time that the men had been with Harmony, he had never heard the demon-host say so much, nor anything with such depth. 

He knew he hid it well, his loneliness. He knew that the others viewed him as empty, hollow, cold, and unapproachable. And that was okay. He liked it that way - the only people who knew any better would never betray the fact that he actually had feelings. 

But they knew. They knew when he would sneak out of the cabin at night, unable to stand the sickening knowledge that the man who gave him life, the man responsible for half of his very existence, was Hojo, and that he was sleeping under the same roof. Hojo, who had tortured, experimented on, and even raped -yes, raped, his own son- not only him, but many others as well.

His last vivid memory of his world was standing in the bowels of that cursed Midgar Reactor with Zack, trying to find where Hollander’s secret lab was hidden. The other’s had informed him of the events after that. Of going to Nibelheim and finding the documentation about his birth, and the false certificates of his ‘Mother’. Jenova. That despicable creature. How he hated the knowledge that her blood, her very life, was in him. Especially now, after knowing what she was. He hated knowing that -even in the future- the blood of all of those people… Of Aerith… was on his hands, staining not only the flesh, but the soul beneath.

He harbored no illusions of himself: He was a SOLDIER. The SOLDIER. He had blood on his hands… but the blood of an enemy killed in war was much different than the blood of a child slaughtered out of nothing but insane vengeance. 

As Vincent finished his conversation with the young Remnant (Sephiroth always felt strangely bare around the three of them) he allowed himself a small epiphany. He followed the man into the cabin, but stopped him before the two separated to go to their rooms.

Vincent stood frozen once again that night, looking down at the gloved hand resting on his forearm.

“What?” He asked, when Sephiroth only stared at him.

The General was at a loss. He wasn’t used to feeling stripped, vulnerable. He spoke, hating how his voice seemed to catch, hating even more how hopeful he sounded.

“Will you… will you tell me about my mother?”


	25. Flour Power

Chapter 25

 

“Give him back! Give my son back! Just let me see him! Just once!”

“She loved you, the moment you were born. Loved you so much that when they took you away, she abandoned all other research and experiments, and disappeared. I found her later, in the Grotto of Chaos behind a waterfall. Her likeness is still there, encased in Mako.” Vincent finished his tale. Sephiroth had been still and silent throughout Vincent’s recollection, only nodding when Vincent seemed to need reassurance that the General was, indeed, listening.

“What did she look like?” He asked.

Vincent was silent for a moment, staring at Sephiroth with a look of close scrutiny, making the tall SOLDIER feel slightly vulnerable - a feeling that he loathed absolutely.

“She looked like you, or rather, you look like her. Almost a mirror image.” Vincent’s voice took on a slightly monotone air, his eyes almost glazing over. “Her nose, her eyes, her whole facial structure… Its all there. With your hair dyed like this, its almost a perfect replication of her.”

“Do you have a picture?”

“No.” At Sephiroth’s almost crestfallen look, Vincent continued. “I can do better. When we get back, if we get back, I’ll take you to her grotto. She can hear you. I speak to her, sometimes.” He clamped his mouth shut, as if he had just admitted a grave secret. He was amazed at himself. Vincent Valentine does not participate in idle conversation, and yet, he sat with this man, whom he barely knew, and told him what were basically the most precious memories he had.

And he had liked it. He had enjoyed telling another soul about his first love. He enjoyed the feeling that talking about it actually made the pain of her passing lessen just a bit.

A blue light flashed through the dimly lit room, the wisps clinging to Vincent's dark form as the brilliance faded away, taking with it a portion of the guilt that had weighed so heavily on his shoulders for the last twenty-six years.

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi awoke to the sound of light snoring. She smiled at the knowledge that Loz was a snorer. Then, a sudden thought filtered through her mind. She shouldn’t be able to hear him snoring. The sound of the waterfall should have drowned it out.

Disoriented, she sat up and groggily took in her surroundings. She was instantly wide awake when she realized that she was in the second largest bedroom of the cabin, and had apparently been there for a while.

“Cad é an ifreann?”(1) She muttered to herself. ‘Did I really just spend a night in the cabin… and not dream?’

Suddenly, from beside her, Loz snorted and let out what sounded suspiciously like a giggle. She looked down at him and smiled softly, reaching out to lightly run her bare finger down his cheek. Instantly, she was overcome with intense amusement. Whatever Loz was dreaming about, it obviously amused him.

Sassi carefully crawled out of the bed, so as not to wake the sleeping Remnant. She chuckled softly, eyeing the mud still smeared across his cheeks. 

“Hn. Big Chief.” She whispered to herself, shaking her head with a smile. She stood to her full height and turned to walk away.

She didn’t get far. A startled gasp left her lips as a pair of pale, muscular arms wrapped themselves around her waist and dragged her back down to the bed. She struggled to turn around as she was pressed to a hard, warm chest and giggled when hot breath tickled across the skin of her neck.

“Loz… ST-OP! That tickles!”

“Big Chief no stop.” He muttered in a sleepy voice. “Big Chief capture Squaw. Squaw prisoner.”

"Squaw pee on Big Chief if Big Chief doesn't let her go."

Loz released her quickly. “Squaw free!”

Sassi smirked and rolled out of the bed. She then noticed something… odd.

“…Loz? Why am I still naked?”

“I carried you back. You were shaking, it was so cold. Don’t worry, I made sure no one saw.”

Sassi shot him a speculative look. Shaking her head with a small chuckle, she threw her robe on and slipped out of the bedroom and down the hall to the bathroom. 

“I’m getting in the shower!” She called down the hall after she had finished her business and turned the water on. As she closed the door, however, a gust of wind knocked her back. Looking up, she saw Loz standing before her, the door closed and locked behind him.

‘Now I see what Hari meant! He is fast!’ She thought. “What are you doing?”

“Squaw dirty. Big Chief clean Squaw.”

“Okay, Loz. Drop the Big Chief talk.” Sassi rolled her eyes.

“No way.” He answered. Then, in a low, husky voice that Sassi had never heard him use before, “Squaw like it.” 

With that, he pushed her robe off her shoulders, threw her over his shoulder, and stepped into the spray.

Her shriek of indignance could be heard throughout the cabin.

 

!@#$%^&*()

Harmony hummed quietly to herself as she mixed the ingredients for her pie crust in the large, flowered bowl. Kadaj had been absent when she awoke, but she thought nothing of it. He was probably at the meadow with the others, as Sephiroth had informed her when she saw him earlier that morning. 

She had thought a lot as she showered and prepared herself for the day. It would be barely a week until the rest of her coven arrived at the cabin to help her find a way to send their travelers back to where they came from. After close consideration, she made her decision. Kadaj was right. She was wasting so much time being afraid of him.

She could hear the commotion from the bathroom above her as Sassi shrieked something unflattering at Loz, and it made her smile.

A little while later -Harmony was still in the kitchen- Sassi waltzed in. “Whatcha’ doin’?” She asked. 

“Baking.” Harmony answered simply.

“Ah.” Sassi let out an enlightened sound. “That means you’ve been thinking. And if you’re baking pies, then you must be happy with whatever decision you’ve come to.”

Harmony chuckled. “You know me too well.”

“I agree.”

“Shut up and help me.”

 

!@#$%^&*()

“Sassi! Sassi, look! It’s a penis!” Harmony giggled and gestured to the cookie dough she had molded into an obscene shape.

“I can do better.” The redhead said. She quickly shaped and molded her own dough.

Just as Harmony was leaning in to inspect the piece, the other redhead of the group walked into the kitchen. Neither woman noticed the man as he made his way to stand behind them.

“No, no. The vein goes on the bottom.” He said, startling them.

“Reno! You jerk! How many times do I have to fry you before you stop sneaking up on me?!” Harmony hissed.

“Sorry, jeez. I was only trying to be helpful.” He said, holding his hands up defensively.

“Oh, you think you can do better?” Sassi piped in.

!@#$%^&*()

“Gently!” Reno snapped, “Its not a toy! Think of it like…like… a banana! Yeah, like a banana. Nice and firm, but if you squeeze it too hard-”

“If you squeeze it too hard: POP!” Sassi said, cackling.

Harmony looked scandalized. “Sassi!”

“Oh please. You can’t tell me you’ve never made Kadaj’s banana pop!”

Harmony gasped in mortification, and Sassi didn’t even have time to register the handful of flour flying straight for her face.

Reno shook his head and snuck away from the women, successfully avoiding what was sure to be a horrid mess.

 

!@#$%^&*()

Kadaj had spend the rest of the night on the porch swing. Yazoo had returned to the cabin with the auburn-haired TURK in tow, and Kadaj had opted to talk to him later. The TURKS didn’t need to know his problems. Shortly after the sun rose, the others had left for the meadow, Kadaj following close behind. Maybe beating the snot out of someone would make him feel better, he’d thought. It hadn’t. He returned to the cabin just as melancholy as he was before.

He damned every God in existence when he walked into the cabin and was greeted by the sound of Harmony’s screaming laughter. It sounded as though she was in the kitchen. The smell of sweet pastries assaulted his senses and proved him right.

He was not prepared for the sight he found when he entered the kitchen. Harmony and Sassi sat on the floor, leaning against the cupboards. Both were laughing hysterically, and completely covered from head to toe in flour.

“Hi Kadaj!” Harmony said between giggles.

He snorted and shook his head. “So immature.” He said in a mutter he was sure they wouldn’t be able to hear.

He learned differently, however, when both women stopped their cackling and stared at him. As though they were one person, both of them let slightly evil smirks adorn their faces.

They glanced at each other, and then at Kadaj, and it wasn’t even a full second before the Remnant was coughing and spitting flour from his now-white face.

“I can’t believe you just did that.” He said. He shook his head. “I’m not playing this game.” He turned to walk away. He didn’t get far, however, and stopped dead in his tracks when he felt the tell-tale crack-and-splatter of an egg hitting the back of his head.

He stood silent for a moment, until he heard Harmony’s whisper to Sassi.

“Oh shit. You shouldn’t have thrown the egg.” 

Kadaj allowed his own evil grin to grace his features. If they wanted to play, they were going to play by his rules.

It wasn’t even a full two seconds before both girls were squealing in disgust as they were both pelted with perfectly-aimed eggs.

“Sassi!” the three in the kitchen heard. “Sassi, what’s wrong? Why are you screa-AH WHOA!” 

Loz had rushed into the kitchen to see what was causing his lover’s distress. Not paying attention to his surroundings, he stepped on a broken egg, the slime sending him sliding across the even slimier kitchen floor.

The Remnant reached out with quick hands and grasped the fridge door, intending to use it to stop himself. 

And it all went to Hell from there.

Loz had gained enough momentum that all he accomplished by grabbing the refrigerator door, was to topple the appliance over onto its side. 

The catastrophe happened so quickly, and was so shocking, that even Kadaj didn’t have time to react as his older brother came hurdling toward him. The eldest Remnant collided with the youngest, sending them both smashing into the kitchen wall.

All at once, it was over. Kadaj and Loz fell to the floor in a twitching heap. Harmony and Sassi stared in shock at the scene they had just witnessed. They looked at each other and Harmony snorted, her peeling laughter once again echoing throughout the cabin, Sassi’s joining hers not a moment later.

 

!@#$%^&*()

It had taken the four of them almost three hours to clean up the mess they had made. Kadaj and Loz righted the fridge, but it was clear that almost everything inside would have to be restocked.

“I’ll be careful. Its you they’re looking for, not me.” Sassi said as she climbed into her SUV with Aerith, Tifa, and Yuffie. 

“Okay. I guess you’re right. You’ll be fine. Just hurry back. Things like this make me nervous.” Harmony said, fidgeting.

“I know. Me too.” Sassi agreed. 

“If I’m not here, check the meadow. I might see if Kadaj will train with me today.” Sassi nodded her understanding, and Harmony stepped back as the SUV pulled away from the cabin.

When Harmony turned around, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz were standing behind her.

“So, you think you’re ready to train with us again, huh?” Yazoo said.

Harmony smirked. “Bring it, pretty-boy.”

The three Remnants chuckled in a way that made the woman feel incredibly uncomfortable. “Don’t sound so confident. You’re training with all of us now, and we’re not holding back anymore.”


	26. A Step Backward

Chapter 26 - A Step Backward

 

“-mony? Harmony! Look out!” She heard Yazoo’s call just a moment too late. She hardly even felt it until Loz’s uppercut left her flying through the air only to slam into a tree.

“What’s your problem?!” Kadaj huffed. “You’ve been distracted all day!”

“I’m sorry!” Harmony grunted through her pain. “I’m just really worried about Sassi!”

Kadaj growled and turned from her, stomping off in the direction of the cabin.

“Hey!” Harmony called, running after him. 

“Just shut up and train.” Kadaj hissed over his shoulder.

“What’s your problem?!” Harmony snarled, grabbing his shoulder to turn him around.

He snarled, the sound a hundred times more threatening than Harmony’s. Gripping her hand in a move too quick for the woman to comprehend, he spun around, flinging her away from him to land in a heap a few feet away. “What’s my problem? What’s my problem?! Sassi this, Sassi that. Do you even care that if we have to fight Jenova here, you and your precious Sassi will die? You’re weak. You have no chance as it is right now!” He snorted. “Sassi. Damn Sassi. Forget Sassi, and focus on what’s actually important!”

All throughout his rant, Harmony stared in wide-eyed shock. As he finished, she stood. Turning away from him, he caught sight of a tear threatening to fall from her suddenly very angry eye. 

‘Oh, shit.’ He thought. He reached for her in an attempt to apologize for losing his temper, but she shrugged him off.

Sniffling, she forced as much anger and hurt into her voice as she could. “Get out of here, Kadaj. Get away from me. Get your shit out of my room and get the hell away from me!” With that, she walked away from the trio of Remnants, heading in the direction of the waterfall.

“Well, Little Brother. You certainly fucked up that time!” Yazoo hissed. The use of foul language tipped Kadaj off as to just how angry his older brother really was. He watched as both of his brothers abandoned him in the meadow, both following the angry girl whom had taken them in and given up her whole life just to help them.

One last look from Loz let Kadaj know that as soon as Harmony was comforted, the eldest Remnant would be back for him.

This time, the light that flashed around the Remnant was not the cleansing blue that they had come to expect. A red flash lit the meadow as Kadaj let a scream of rage pour from his throat.

!@#$%^&*()

 

Harmony was seething, absolutely teeming with rage as she stalked through the forest. She could hear Yazoo and Loz following her, and was grateful that they kept their distance. She was also grateful that she could hear them at all, as she knew that if they hadn’t wanted her to know they were following her, she wouldn’t have. She saw the red light out of the corner of her eye and it was as though the final string had been cut. The tears stung her skin as she took off at a breakneck pace, racing to the waterfall as quickly as she could force her legs to move.

‘Why am I so upset? I knew what he was capable of!’ Was the main through barreling through her mind.

Was it because of her? Because of what she had said earlier? Was he angry because she told him that she didn’t want to have sex with him just yet? 

Even if he was, he had no right to say those things about her coven-sister. He had even called her weak! In her once again distracted state, she failed to see a broken tree branch jutting out from a fallen oak. One moment she was running quickly enough to be flying, and the next she truly was flying. She hit the ground with a loud cry, crashing through broken branches and thorny bushes.

“Damnit!” She yelled. Could this day get any worse?! 

Lightening flashing above her was the answer to her unspoken question.

“Harmony?” Came the soft sound of Yazoo’s voice. She was shocked at the warmth and concern she heard. 

If he had to be honest with himself, Yazoo was shocked by it, too.

“I can’t believe he said that!” She whispered, pulling herself to a sitting position. Yazoo watched with anger and despair. She looked so broken, there on her knees.

“Forget what he said!” Loz stated. “He shouldn’t have thrown you like that! Its one thing when we‘re sparring, but to do it out of anger-”

A whimper escaped her throat, making the big man stop.

“He… he just… the way he looked at me… As though he could have killed me and never even batted an eyelash… I know what you guys are, I know what you were like… But I never thought I’d actually see that side of him directed at me!” She choked out a sob.

With a soft sound of concern, Yazoo knelt until he was level with Harmony and pulled her into his arms.

“Shhh.” he soothed. “Hari, let me tell you something. I swore that I wouldn’t, because it wasn’t my place, but I think you need to know.”

Harmony sniffled and pulled her hands from her face so that she could see the middle Remnant.

“Kadaj had a sister, once.” He started.

Harmony nodded. “I know, he told me… But Reno interrupted before he could tell me any more than that she was dead.”

“Yes. You are aware that she was his twin?” Harmony nodded. “Do you understand anything about the bond between twins?” He asked.

“Only in theory.” She answered.

“I met Kadaj when I was eleven.” Loz cut in. “I had been in the lab for a few years, and then one day Hojo threw this sickly little kid in my cell, and told me that he was my new toy.”

Harmony felt a wave of nausea hit her, and swallowed furiously to force it down.

“He was broken, Harmony. He didn’t speak a single word for five years. For five years the only sounds that I heard from him were his sobs after Hojo would violate him, or his screams from the operating room when they experimented on him.” He paused when he noticed the tears streaming down the woman’s face, her hand tightly clamped over her mouth.

“Do you want us to stop?” Yazoo asked. Harmony shook her head violently.

“No! Please, I need to understand.” She said, her voice wavering on a sob.

Loz nodded and continued. “Then one night, he had a nightmare. He kept calling for ‘Kiku’ and saying things like ‘No, she’s still in there, save her, save her.’ I wanted to let him sleep, so that I could hear him talk some more, but I just couldn’t listen to him crying like that. When I woke him up and asked him what he was dreaming about, he broke down and told me everything.”

Harmony held her breath, sensing that this was the crucial information that she needed.

“Yazoo, you tell it. You know the story too, and I can’t get through it without crying and messing it up.” Loz said, looking slightly ashamed.

Yazoo nodded with a soft smile. “Its okay, Loz.” He looked down at the woman he still held in his arms. “Kadaj and Kiku always knew that they were adopted, but didn’t know who their real parents were. It was discovered later, that they were lab babies. Kadaj doesn’t know anything about his birthparents. For the first four years of his life, he and his sister lived with a foster family. One of the scientists felt sorry for their mother when they were born, and so she snuck them out and gave them to a friend of hers. 

“They were well off, living in Banora. As Kadaj would tell it, he and his twin were inseparable. They ate together. They bathed together. They slept in the same bed. If one was hurt, the other would injure themselves in the same way so that they could feel the same thing.

“When Kadaj was four, ShinRa found them. They came and tried to take them away. When they set fire to the house, Kadaj was the only one that they retrieved. They were only interested in the male twin, thinking that the female child wouldn’t hold up to their experimentation. They made him stand outside and watch the house collapse, and made him stand and watch as they brought out the body bag with his sister’s body in it.

“So they didn’t appear to be completely heartless to the public, they allowed him to see her funeral service.

“So you see, for all of his life, he had known that the only family he had was his sister. They had, and needed only each other. When he lost her, he lost half of himself. He has never truly recovered. I think he craves that connection, but fears it deeply. Even our relationship. The only thing that held us together for so long was our mutual suffering, and our devotion to Jenova. She spoke to him more than either of us. She promised him that she could help him see his sister again. I don’t think he ever realized that she meant to kill him, as well.”

“So what you’re saying,” Harmony interrupted, “Is that he’s jealous.”

Yazoo stared in awe. “How did you get ‘jealousy’ out of that?”

“Well, you said he craves and fears love, basically…”

Yazoo nodded. “So when he’s found someone who accepts him, he doesn’t know how to handle it, and becomes possessive, because he doesn’t want to lose it like he lost her.”

“You’re right.” Loz said. “I never thought of it like that before, but it makes sense.”

Yazoo nodded. “Will you come back to the cabin? Sassi should be back soon.” He said.

Harmony hesitated, and Yazoo felt dread fill him.

“I’ll come back long enough to gather a few things. I think it best if I stay in the cave behind the waterfall for a while. Both Kadaj and myself need some time to think.”

Yazoo shut his eyes in frustration. He didn’t understand why things had to be so difficult. But at the same time, he knew that he had no right to try to talk her out of it.

“I’ll get it for you.” He said, trying not to sound as irritated as he felt. “Just tell me what you need.”

!@#$%^&*()

“Thank you, Yazoo. Please tell Sassi where I am? And if there’s trouble, you know where to find me. If you have any problems at all, bring the rest of the group here. I’ll bring my cell to be charged in a couple of days.”

Yazoo nodded his understanding. Giving the woman one last hug and whispering his hope for her safety, he left the waterfall, going straight for the meadow where he was certain he would have to stop Loz from seriously injuring their little brother. It was, after all, personal for the eldest Remnant whom had found himself smitten with the very woman Kadaj had defamed.

 

!@#$%^&*()

“Back off, Loz! I said I was sorry!” Kadaj growled at his older brother. 

“Yeah but here’s the thing: I don’t think you meant it!” Loz growled right back. He was so angry that he couldn’t even land a blow on Kadaj’s quick form… this only serving to anger him even more.

“Both of you stop this idiocy right now!” Yazoo all but screamed as he stomped into the meadow.

Kadaj scowled at his brother. “Why should I? He attacked me!”

“And you’re lucky we don’t tag-team your spoiled ass!” Yazoo snapped back. “Your temper-tantrums are getting old, Kadaj! We dealt with them before because it was necessary to accomplish what Jenova wanted us to accomplish. But no more! We are not in the labs anymore. We are not under her control anymore. There is no excuse for your fits! Harmony has given up her entire life to help us. And what have you given her? You’ve hurt her, Kadaj. And not just emotionally. You threw her. Loz is right- Sparring is different. You didn’t throw her in an attempt to better her combat skills. You threw her with the intent to really harm her. And not only that, you have insulted the one person she is closest to. For someone who claims to want to be with her so badly, you’re sure doing everything you can to make sure she hates you! She refuses to stay in the cabin right now. She‘s-… out in the forest somewhere.”

Kadaj had never heard Yazoo speak to anyone like that before. If he was angry with someone, he killed them. Plain and simple. Kadaj thought that after everything that his brother had just said, he might have preferred a physical fight. 

Then, the last thing he said registered in his mind.

“What do you mean? She's out there by herself? Sleeping in the forest? Alone?!”

“What?!” Came the enraged voice behind them. The three men turned to see Sassi, along with the rest of the group, standing only a few feet away.

Sassi zeroed in on Kadaj. “What did you do?!” She whispered in a deadly voice.

Thunder clapped ominously as Loz rushed to answer his lover’s question in his brother’s place.

Kadaj was not a man afraid of many things. He could count the number of things that could make him flee for his life on one finger.

Right now, it was the look in Sassi’s eyes as she pulled her gloves from her hands.


	27. Living Legends

Chapter 27

 

"No, no stop it! Please Daddy, stop! I didn't mean to! I won't do it again!" The echo was deafening. The Remnant threw his hands up in an effort to stop the blows that relentlessly pounded into his skin.

"Wicked child. Evil child. You made him want you. Made me look like a fool!" With every other word, another merciless blow landed on already-bruised skin. "Witch."

Colors swirled, making the Remnant collapse in dizzy nausea.

"I want to die!" Kadaj found the thought floating through his panicked and pain filled mind. He watched in horror as his hand moved against his will, the razor blade pressing into porcelain skin, his senses both dreading and pleading for the metal's sharp kiss.

Suddenly, an image filled his mind. It was Harmony. A much younger Harmony, she couldn't have been much older than sixteen. She sat against her kitchen cupboards, the razor blade forgotten on the frigid tile.

The beauty of the tile caught his attention. It was white, so white that it was nearly blinding, splashed with dark, ominous red. The sharp red against the nothingness that was the tile was so lovely in its tragedy that for a moment, Kadaj couldn't react. Then he realized that the splattered red was blood. Harmony's blood. He followed the trail from the tile, up her pale thighs, and finally to the deep gouges and harsh slashes that marred and mutilated her wrists.

"No!" He cried, but it wasn't his voice. He recognized the panicked accent as Sassi's.

He heard himself pleading with Harmony, begging her to stay awake, to speak. He felt Sassi's panic, felt the desperation and the horror.

The colors swirled again, the scene changing once more. This time, Kadaj saw the scene as an outsider. Sassi and Harmony sat in the darkness of a deserted beach. He could actually smell the salty, fishy air as though it was really whispering against him.

"This is the first time I've missed her birthday, Hari. I can't believe I forgot her!" Sassi sobbed.

"She wouldn't blame you, Sass. You know that." Harmony soothed, her hand rubbing comforting circles on Sassi's shoulder.

'Who?' Kadaj asked himself as he watched the scene unfold.

"I know, I know. I just feel so… so… so useless right now. Like I can't do anything right." Sassi interrupted his thoughts

"Well that's what you have me for." Harmony said, her voice thick with resolve. "If you don't think you can handle it, you just give it over to me and I'll handle it for you." Conviction hardened her stare, though her eyes never lost the soft warmth and sympathy.

Sassi smiled. "Thanks, Har."

'I get it.' Kadaj thought, 'I understand.'

!$%^&*()

"Oooooowwwww!" Kadaj groaned as he tried to steady his shaky body. "What the fuck was that?" He said, swinging unsteadily to look at Sassi.

She was panting, her hands held up defensively. "How are you not crazy?" she said, angry awe in her voice. "You should be halfway to insane right now."

"What? You were actually trying to hurt me?"

"Hell yes… I mean no, not really hurt, but… yes… but… I wanted to make you see the line you crossed, damnit!" Sassi stuttered out, her Irish accent so prominent in her anger, it was difficult to understand her rant.

"So…" Zack said after a few moments of silence, "What the hell did you just do?"

"She projected." Came a call from the treeline. The group turned to locate the owner of the voice.

"Hari!" Sassi cried, rushing to her friend. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm staying at the waterfall for now. Just for a few days." She replied.

Kadaj noted that she utterly refused to even look his way.

"Are you sure?" Sassi asked.

"Yeah, I need some time to myself. You know, to think about… stuff. I just wanted to maybe train some more and I needed some ceremonial tools. I couldn't have Yazoo grab them, they'll lose their power if you touch them, sorry." She turned to Yazoo as she finished.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but… projecting?" Reno cut in.

"Oh, sorry." Harmony turned back to Sassi. "May I?"

"Go ahead."

Harmony nodded. "She projects her thoughts and emotions onto whomever she touches, if she chooses to. I'm kind of shocked she did it… Why did you do it? Weren't you afraid of what he'd see, or that you'd kill him?"

Sassi was silent for a moment before shocking Harmony right out of her skin.

"I controlled it."

Harmony stood speechless, her mouth hanging open before shaking her head to jar her senses back into place. "You… controlled it?"

Sassi nodded. The conversation became hushed as Harmony leaned closer. "What did you show him?"

"Well, Loz told me about what happened. I wanted to make Kadaj see. I wanted him to know why you and I are so important to each other.

"And it worked? Just like that?"

"Well, does he look crazy to you?"

Harmony shot Sassi a dry look. "You mean 'more than usual'?" Sassi snorted. "No, he seems normal."

"Harmony?" Came the timid voice of Aerith. "Are you okay?"

Harmony smiled at the Ancient. "Yes, I'm okay." She then turned to the trio of SOLDIER Firsts. "Who wants to spar?"

And just like that, everything seemed to go back to normal. However, everyone could feel the tension in the air between the youngest Remnant, and the dark haired Witch, even if said woman failed to notice the man's eyes following her every movement as she did her best to dodge Angeal's attacks.

"You." Came a voice from Kadaj's right. He turned to find Sassi glaring at him.

"What?" He sneered.

"We are overdue for a match." She said haughtily.

"Damn right we are." He replied, his voice carrying a dark, malicious edge.

"Don't hold back." Sassi taunted.

"Oh don't you worry, I don't plan to."

!$%^&*()

"Ouch! Angeal! You don't have to tap so hard!" Harmony whined as the flat side of Angeal's sword bounced off of her hip.

"Hey, the harder I hit, the harder you try to avoid me, right?" He chuckled, still swinging.

"Well… Yeah. Point taken-Ouch! Damnit!"

Angeal stopped, laughing. "Okay, take five and calm down. Getting yourself frustrated isn't going to do you any favors."

"Yeah, yeah." Harmony grumbled. She thanked Zack as she passed him when he handed her a bottle of water. The swishing whistle of metal slicing through air caught her attention, and she spotted Sassi sparring with Kadaj. A sick feeling lodged itself in her stomach when she realized that Sassi wasn't holding up very well. She could tell that Sassi was using heavy magic to aid her in dodging his attacks, and it was all she could do to finish the spells before he was on her again,

Harmony let out a sound of concern and started forward when Kadaj landed a kick that sent Sassi flying backward. Zack's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Let them. I have a feeling that this is a long time coming. He won't really hurt her. You know we wouldn't let that happen."

Harmony growled in annoyance, but nodded, stepping backward to stand beside the SOLDIER once again.

!$%^&*()

Kadaj noticed Harmony watching them, looking concerned, and he smiled internally at his victory… until he noticed that she wasn't watching him. She was watching Sassi. Always Sassi.

Enraged, he let out a vicious snarl and charged his opponent.

If Harmony was so worried about her precious Sassi, he'd give her something to be worried about!

With a fierce battle cry, he leapt into the air, noting with smug satisfaction the look of horror covering both girls' faces as they realized that Sassi would not be able to dodge him.

His blow never landed.

One minute he was flying toward Sassi, the next there was a sharp 'clang!' and Sassi was nowhere to be seen.

He stared into the livid eyes of Harmony as she pushed her sword against his with all of her strength.

"I told you not to touch her!" She hissed in a voice not her own. "You leave her alone!" With that, she shocked him by throwing him back and rushing him, a deadly fire raging behind her nearly-glowing green eyes.

Kadaj was amazed and -if he was honest with himself- a little aroused at Harmony's show of force. Amused, too, until he realized that she didn't plan to stop. He rolled away just in time to avoid her lethal blades, and only vaguely noticed how the grass seemed singed, as though she had infused her attack with fire.

Over and over he bent and dodged, twirling away from Harmony with his awe inspiring acrobatics. That is- until he misjudged a jump and found his back pressed to the rough bark of a large tree, Harmony's sword pressing into his neck. Harmony paused when she felt the double blades of the Souba pressing threateningly against her abdomen.

"Someone should stop them. This is ridiculous." Sephiroth said from the sidelines, though inside, he was slightly impressed by the ferocity of the small woman's attack.

Everyone nodded, but no one made a move to step between the feuding lovers.

"Oh, don't everybody rush off at once." Sephiroth drawled, irritated. He stepped forward and cautiously made his way to the couple, Kadaj glancing at him and then quickly back, not wanting to take his eyes off of his opponent.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Sephiroth reached out and gently laid his hand on Harmony's shoulder, intending to pull her away from Kadaj.

Harmony felt the hand on her shoulder and reacted, swinging around with a wind-infused fist and literally flinging the Great Dread General across the meadow.

The group stared in absolute shock, deathly silent. Even Sephiroth looked positively brain-dead with confusion as he sat up and gazed at the girl.

The spell was broken when Kadaj used Harmony's distraction to push himself away from the tree, and then vaulted high into the branches.

Harmony was angry at losing her prey, and she stretched her hand out with a low snarl. Turning her palm up, she started chanting, dark clouds forming above the tree and lightening flashing in furious arcs.

"Shit, she'll kill him!" Sassi cried. She ran to the enraged woman and threw her arms around her shoulders. "Hari, stop! You'll kill him!"

At her voice, the storm abruptly stopped, not even a trace of the deadly lightening remained.

"Sassi…?" Came Harmony's weak voice. She stumbled, and Sassi was quick to lower her to the ground. "What… what happened?"

"I… I don't know… I've never seen you like that before."

"I have." Vincent said, stepping forward. "It was when Kadaj grabbed you and demanded you tell him what you saw when you touched him."

Sassi's eyes widened. "You did!"

Aerith was still reeling from the intense power that had rocked the meadow. She brought her hand to her brow and struggled to form a sentence.

"I think I know why… but… its not possible…that's just a story…" She muttered, stumbling.

Zack caught her. "What Honey? What's not possible?"

She shook her head to clear it. "There's a Cetran legend. It speaks of what were called Guardians. The legend says they were our protectors, that shortly after Jenova attacked and poisoned the Cetra, the Lifestream sent one line of Guardians, and one line of Cetra to a different world to be protected. It is said that the Guardians were the Cetra's ultimate defenders. That when fighting to protect their chosen Ancient, they were nearly unstoppable. But those are just stories! There's been nothing in the past two-thousand years to even suggest that it might be true!"

"So you're sayin' Harmony's a Guardian?" Cid asked, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"I… I think she might be…" The Cetran answered.

"But… that would mean Sassi-" Loz started.

"Sassi is an Ancient." Yazoo finished.

Sassi chuckled nervously. "No, that can't be-"

"Think about it," Yuffie cut in, "You said that you are capable of performing spells that the rest of your coven are not?"

"Yes, but that's because they don't effect me-"

"Like they effect everyone else. I know. In our world, we use Materia to cast spells, but I am the only one who was able to do it continuously without becoming too weak to even walk." Aerith said, taking Sassi's gloved hands. "The Cetra are different from others. Others may use magic, but the Cetra are magic. Others live because of a part of the Lifestream inside of them, but the Cetra are a physical manifestation of the Lifestream. That's why we are so powerful. In your terms, normal people are the physical part of the Earth, and the Certa are the spirit."

"But what about me?" Harmony asked, weakly. "That doesn't explain what's happening to me, and why its just starting to manifest now."

"Well, there is one person I know of that has studied the Cetra and our legends enough that he might even know more than me." Aerith said reluctantly.

"And who is that?" Harmony asked.

Vincent cut in with a vicious snarl of the one name they all hoped not to hear.

"Hojo."


	28. Unknown Origins

Chapter 28

 

"I demand that you untie me right this second!" Hojo said in his screechy voice.

"Ah, now see, we tried that, and Hari tried to kill you. Trust me, you're much safer this way. I can't believe you actually tried to grab Sassi, what are you, an idiot?" Zack said.

"Just shut up and answer the question." Yazoo said in his 'you'll-talk-or-I'll-rip-your-fingernails-off' tone. "Do you know anything about the Legend of the Guardians?"

"Hojo huffed. "Of course I do!" He said. The group waited for him to continue.

"Well?" Harmony said impatiently.

"Well what? I can't perform the necessary tests without Jenova cells and the blood of an Ancient!"

Zack snarled and stepped in front of Aerith. "You're not going to touch her. I'll tear your goddamned hands off!" He hissed.

"And I'm not giving you any of my blood." Kadaj said. The other Remnants, including Cloud, Sephiroth, and Vincent made sounds of agreement.

"Well there's no other way for me to give you a definite answer either way. I need Cetran blood, and Jenova cells."

The group went silent, each agreeing that they couldn't allow the mad scientist to get his hands on any Jenova cells.

"Then how are we going to find out?" Harmony said, more to herself.

"Um... Hari... I think I have an idea... But you're not going to like it." Sassi said. One look in her coven-sister's eyes and Harmony knew what she was talking about.

"Oh no. No way. I refuse. You can't bring them here. You can't do that to me."

"Hari, it may be the only way! They might know something!"

"Hold on, now. Calm down. Who might know something?" Said Rufus from behind the group.

Harmony growled and then let out a resigned sigh. "My parents."

!@#$%^&*()

"But I thought you said 'blinking' was too powerful to do alone?" Loz said, remembering when Harmony had broken his brothers and him out of jail.

Sassi turned an expectant gaze to Aerith. The Ancient stepped away from Zack and his shocked expression and addressed the group.

"Sassi and I have discussed it, and I think that I may be able to help with that." Harmony's expression turned from anxious to curious and Sassi and Aerith both nodded. "I'm an Ancient, and though in my world we use materia, in theory, I should be able to utilize magic here, if Sassi gives me a nudge in the right direction."

"But what will happen if it doesn't work?" Cloud asked nervously.

"That's why we're going to test it." Sassi answered. "We're going to blink from the den to the kitchen. I'm only going to give Aerith a little push, she's controlling the whole thing. I know that blinking is a bit advanced, but we don't have any other choice right now."

The others in the group nodded reluctantly, agreeing that at the moment, their options were limited.

"You ready?" Sassi asked, holding out her gloved hands. Aerith placed her hands on top of Sassi's and nodded her head.

"Just tell me what to do."

"Okay. First you need to empty your mind of everything but the one place you want to go. The only thing I want going through your head right now is the sound of my voice, and a clear picture of the kitchen. Tell me when you've got it."

Aerith was silent and still for a long moment before nodding her head. "I'm ready." She said in a breathy voice.

"Okay, now I want you to gather your power and think about going there. Envision yourself just dropping from existence and reappearing in one specific apot in the kitchen. You have to concentrate. If you're not careful, you'll end up in a wall."

Zack let out a startled sound of concern and started forward, only to have Harmony stop him. "If you interrupt her now, you could cause serious damage. Its okay. Sassi won't let anything bad happen."

"I've got it...!" Aerith said in a strained voice, sweat breaking out on her delicate brow.

"Alright, now I'm going to use just a touch of my power, and I want you to release yours when you feel it, and keep focusing on the kitchen."

Sassi closed her eyes and the room suddenly felt calmer, more peaceful as she focused her energy.

And then both women disappeared from sight.

"Did it work? Is Aerith okay? Where are they?" Zack said, panicked.

"We're okay!" Came a delighted call from the kitchen. "It worked! I did it!" Aerith appeared in the doorway, her expression one of jubilant glee at mastering a very powerful new technique.

"Yes, you did." Sassi chuckled, joining her. "Now that you've done it once, it won't be as hard to do it." Sassi looked at Harmony. "Are you ready for this?"

"No."

"Good, I'd think you'd lost your mind if you were. If we're not back in fifteen minutes, you better get over your fears and come get us!" Sassi warned.

"I-I...I will. I won't leave you there." She said the words as though she was talking about Hell itself. In her opinion, she was.

"Okay. Lets go."

Aerith and Sassi went through their preparations once again, and in half the time it took the first time, the women blinked out of sight.

!@#$%^&*()

"Harmony? Are you okay?" Cloud asked as the woman swayed on her feet. Yazoo jumped to attention and grabbed her arm, directing her to sit on the couch next to Kadaj.

"No." She sounded close to tears, her breath coming in sharp gasps.

"Hey, just breathe, you're okay. It's going to be okay." Kadaj said, hesitantly scooting closer and wrapping his arms around her.

She tensed for a split second, but the fear of finally confronting her parents after almost ten years won out, and she sagged into his comforting embrace.

"I haven't seen them since they threw me away... " She let out a shuddering breath. 

"I'm sorry that this is so hard for you, Harmony," Rufus cut in, "but you need to calm down or you'll faint."

He was right. Though Harmony tried valiantly to even her breathing, it wasn't long until Kadaj felt her go limp in his arms. He pulled her away to get a look at her face and check her pulse.

"She passed out." He confirmed. He stood up and carefully laid her down across the couch... just as Sassi and Aerith blinked back into existence with ten very confused, very frightened visitors.

!@#$%^&*()

"Weylin!" The older woman gasped as the dizziness began to pass. "What happened?" The confused voices of eight girls ranging from young teenagers to just younger than Harmony joined their mother's voice.

"I don't know, Dolores, damnit! What the hell did you do this time, you stupid-" The man started.

"Shut up, you nasty mother-fucker." Sassi said in a low voice.

The man - Weylin, they remembered - turned toward her.

"Who the hell are you? Where the hell am I?"

The older woman scoffed. "Just like you, Weylin, to be concerned only about yourself. Selfish bastard."

"Bitch-" He snarled.

"Shut! Up!" Sassi roared.

The group of unwelcome newcomers froze and stared at her. Sassi took a deep breath. "You've never met me, but I know all about you. There's only one reason you're here." She paused, looking behind her at Harmony's prone form. She sighed. She knew this would be too much for her. She again turned to face the group and put her hand to her eyes. "The reason you're here, is this: You are going to tell me everything you know about your daughter's ancestry."

Weyln smirked. "Which one? I have eight."

"No you don't you son-of-a-bitch. You have nine daughters." Sassi snapped. "The one I want to know about..." She paused and stepped out from in front of Harmony's still unconcious form, "is hers."

Weylin took in the sight of his oldest daughter lying on the couch and looking very much like she was dead.

"Hn." He chuckled, "So the little cunt is dead then? Good." The words had barely passed his lips before he found himself tackled to the floor by one-hundred-and-fifteen pounds of furious red-head. He growled viciously and tried to buck her off, only to freeze in absolute terror when he felt two parallel blades rest across his throat.

"Why don't you try that with me, shithead, or aren't you man enough?" Kadaj taunted in a slightly insane voice.

"Fuck you, asshole, get off me!"

"Takes a real big man to beat a woman." Loz chimed in, stepping beside his youngest brother and cracking his knuckles.

"What is this? Retribution?" Weylin spat.

"Oh no, that would imply that you're still a threat. This is much bigger than that." Yazoo said, falling into place beside the other two Remnants and tapping the butt of his gun.

"Then what the fuck is this?"

Sassi dug her fingernails into Weylin's chest as she leaned toward him. She allowed at dark look to cover her features and lowered her voice an octave, one word echoing throughout the suddenly deathly-quiet room.

"Justice."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" 

Yazoo lifted Sassi from Weylin's form before grabbing the man and roughly hauling to his feet. He gave a slight nod to his brothers and tiny screams of terror were heard as the three forced the group of blood-traitors onto their knees in a huddled circle.

"Please don't kill us!" Came the whimper from one of whom he assumed were Hari's sisters.

"Hn. Its no better than you deserve." Sephiroth spoke for the first time, standing from his position leaning against the wall. Walking slowly, forcing every ouce of intimidation in his body to the surface, he joined the Remnants in his first willing participation with the three.

"Stop." Came Harmony's weak voice.

"Hari! Are you alright?" Tifa said, kneeling next to the woman.

"I'm fine. Just got a little carried away." She refused to acknowledge her weakness in front of her parents. She forced herself to a sitting position and righted her body on the couch. "Hi Mom. Hi Dad." She said blankly.

"What is this about you little bitch?! And who the hell is 'Hari'? Your name is Lilith!" Her mother shouted.

"I haven't gone by 'Lilith' in almost ten years, Mom." Harmony said. As she realized that she had just spoken back to her mother, she leaned toward the closest person, trying to subtly hide behind Cloud. She ignored the curious looks from her friends and tried to keep hold of her fragile courage. She glanced at Yazoo to find him staring at her.

"Lilith?" He mouthed. She shook her head.

"You don't ask the questions." Kadaj interrupted. "We're asking, and you are going to answer them."

"Fuck you!" Weylin hissed, trying to stand. A strong arm shoved him to the floor and Harmony noticed that Genesis had joined the circle as well. Looking around her, she saw that everyone in the room save for herself had been inching toward the group on the floor, subconsiously protecting her from the emotional threat.

It gave her the courage to speak.

"I have reason to believe that you know more about my... condition... than you made me believe. Hell, I didn't even know you knew about it." She said, her voice only shaking a little bit.

"Oh, you mean your freakish powers?" One of her sisters piped in.

"Hello, Violet. Yes, my powers. There's been something new happening and I while I have an idea about what it might be, only Mom and Dad-"

"Don't call them that. They aren't your family anymore." Sassi cut in.

"Fine, only Dolores and Weylin know the truth. I know you do." She said, turning to her father as she finished.

Weylin hissed and made a feint toward her, smirking when she fliched and sunk further into the couch. A punch to the gut from the figure now kneeling by his side had him hunched over and gasping for breath.

"You won't touch her again, coward. If you even look at 'er like you're wantin' to hurt her, I'll kill ya. Whether she hates me for it 'er not." Cid growled, his lightening blue eyes promising that every word he spoke was true.

"Now." Tseng said, drawing the groups attention as he slipped on a pair of black leather gloves, "As we said: We have a few questions, and you're going to answer them."


	29. I Pray For You

Chapter 29

"My great-great grandmother was a freak, too." Dolores said, "She had the same wicked power that you have. I knew the moment we found out you were a girl that you'd be just as strange. Just as evil." With every word, those in the room could feel the temperature drop as Sassi's fury became known.

"And you blame her for that? Something she had no control over? You beat her, tortured her, for fifteen years, because you were a stupid whore that couldn't keep her legs closed!" She snapped.

"And you're obviously just as freaky as she is!" Another of Harmony's sisters sassed. This one wore a glittering patch over her left eye. Reno drew her to eyes level and clamped a hand over her mouth as she began to whimper in fear. 

"Now that wasn't very nice, honey. Why don't you keep that little forked tongue in check, or I might have to slice it cean out of your mouth." His tone was condescending, reeking with what Harmony could only describe as sensuality unbefitting of the situation. It seemed to get the point across, as her sister - Lily - quieted immediately. Reno kept his hand over her mouth, but twirled around behind her. "Now," He said, "There's more to your story. I want to know how you knew Harmony would be different. I want to know every piece of information you have. Start at the very beginning." As he spoke, he let his hand drift down to lightly rest over Lily's throat. With each second that Harmony's mother and father remained silent, he tightened his grip until the girl he held let out a pathetic whimper.

"Alright! Just let her go!" Dolores said. Yuffie snorted in disgust. 

"You'll do whatever you can to save the life of one daughter, but have no problems casting another out? You're pathetic. Pathetic and sad and hollow." Vincent put his hand on her shoulder to stop her threatening advance.

"I suggest you answer the question. I can't hold her off forever." He said.

Harmony's mother scowled at the dark man, but began her story none-the-less.

"All I know is some stupid story passed down in my family for generations. That one day, my ancestor Gawain was returning from battle, only to have a mighty being appear in his path. The being spoke to him, telling him of an important task, one that only he had the heart to accomplish. As the figure spoke, a ring of light appeared, and out of that light came the figure of a woman. She was beautiful, and reeked of other-worldly power. The God-like being spoke again. "You will take this woman as your wife. You will protect her as you protect no other. Worship her as you worship your God, for she is the key to the continued existence of not only this world, but the sister world."

"He then foretold that they would have children with magnificent power, but the power would be limited. If the first born child in each generation was a female, then she would have the power. Not the first female child, only if the firstborn child is female. The gene was dormant for years and years and years. There have been three generations that have produced this abomination, including Lilith over there. Its said that they possess the powers of a mighty God. That when the woman came here from beyond the gate, she was given a task to find yet another powerful being and protect that creature and its family with her own life. She never found any such being. She was a freak, and a failure. Just like you!" She shouted at Harmony, the girl flinching away from her mother.

Harmony choked back as sob as she processed this new information. "You knew?" She whimpered. "You knew all along... and you never told me... you hurt me... you almost killed me...!" At that moment, everything hit her all at once. Fifteen years of physical and emotional torment, despair, and anger all crashed together, making the young witch reel back from the force of it. She stood from the couch, her voice rising. 

"Why? Why in the Seven Hells is that my fault?! I never did anything but try to make you love me. I've spent years hating myself for this power, even as I learned to control it. I hated it! Hated it because it made me different. Hated myself for ruining your lives. But that was never really the problem, was it? You weren't upset because you were so young when I was born... You were upset because you knew that I would have ... this. This power. What is wrong with you?! How is this my fault?! DO YOU THINK I WANT TO BE THIS WAY?!" Harmony stopped, gasping for breath.

Her sisters and mother were crying out, sobbing in terror as the room shook from the force of Harmony's now active and out-of-control power. Even her father looked afraid for his life.

"She's a monster!" Lily cried, struggling to get away from Reno so that she could cower behind her father. "Please don't kill us, Lilith! Please... I'm sorry! I'm sorry that we hurt you! Daddy, tell her!"

Weylin gazed at the now-woman before him. He saw his error, his mistake in treating her the way he had. Though he held no regrets, in truth he hated the little demon even more... He knew that he had to say something or she would kill them all.

Sassi stepped forward, intending to stop her friend from the massacre just waiting to happen, but Yazoo's hand on her clothed wrist stopped her.

"Let me go. She'll be upset if she kills them. I don't understand why, I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it, but you know Harmony." Yazoo nodded, obviously annoyed, and released her just in time to see Harmony closing in on her father.

"I'm sorry!" Weylin screamed.

All at once, the shaking stopped, the howling winds that had made themselves known ceased, and the errie glow that had overtaken Harmony's eyes receded.

"Sorry?" She whispered.

"You can't really believe him!" Kadaj shouted. "He's not sorry, he's afraid for his life! You son-of-a-bitch, you won't hurt her anymore!" He started toward Weylin, drawing the Souba from behind him and twirling it around with meaning.

Weylin gasped and scrambled backwards, trying to get away from the man intent to kill him.

"Kadaj, stop!" Harmony said forcefully. The Remnant froze. "Harmony, these parasites-"

"I know." She said. "I don't believe him. Sorry. Sorry is just a word, nothing but empty air. It means nothing, because you're not sorry." She paused and took a deep breath, and everyone in the room could feel the static-like energy as Harmony pulled her power in on itself. "But you will be."

Tearing her gaze from her father's, she threw her arms above her head in what Kadaj and Yazoo recognized as a prayer to her Goddess.

“May you find the happiness that you bestow upon others. May you always get what you deserve. May Diana never abandon you to your own lives. From this point on, you will be judged as you have judged me. By the grace of the Gods, of my true mother and father, so mote it be.” She said in a low voice. A yellow light seemed to glow from the family of betrayers before settling into their skin. Each wore a positively horrified expression. She turned from the two souls that brought her into a world of hatred and despair. 

She took Kadaj’s hand and put it to her heart. “Thank you for your protection. It means a lot to me that you would do this to avenge my childhood, and my stolen happiness. Thank you.” He only nodded and brought her hand to his mouth. 

“You know that I would do it again. And again. And again.” He placed a kiss on her palm. “Get some rest. We’ll take the trash out.” 

“Don’t kill them!” She said, holding a finger up. 

“We won’t.” Yazoo cut in.

"Wait! Lilith, please! Take it back! I'm sorry!" When she received no acknowledgement, she changed her game. "You stupid bitch! You're nothing but a freak! You'll pay for this, you monster. Freak!" Lily screamed as the group were man-handled to their feet and forced into a line where Aerith and Sassi could blink them away.

"Wait." Harmony said. She walked to the line of people, starting with her youngest sister and working her way up. "Fern. Clover. Brooke. Cherry. Ginger. Amber. Violet." She paused at the last one, the name coming out a bit differently than the others. "Lily."

Lily flinched as Harmony brought a hand up to trace her fingers across the sparkling eye patch.

"I'm sorry about taking your eye. I was young and didn't have control over the power yet." Lilly scoffed.

"Whatever, you satanic whore-"

Harmony cut her off. "As I was saying. I didn't have control then, but I do now. If I could go back and change it, I would. I wouldn't take your eye."

Lily smirked at her sister's supposed guilt, the expression becoming a horrified frown as Harmony qualified her statement.

"I'd take your filthy tongue. All of you," She gestured to her sisters, "You knew that all you had to do was say my name with that bitchy little whine and that would be all Daddy needed to beat me into unconciousness." She turned back to Lily. "But you. You were the worst. You used it as often as you could, for no other reason than boredom."

Her father cut her off. "You take it back, you slut! I'll kill you! I'll kill you and everyone you care about!"

Weylin wasn't given time to hurl more threats. 

It happened in a heartbeat. A swipe to the jaw had his head reeling back, a jab to the stomach forced his body to double over itself, and a fist in his hair had his nose grinding painfully against a sharp knee.

"Don't you ever, ever threaten my family! I'll finish what they started and kill you myself you useless waste of space!"

Before another word could be said, Sassi and Aerith closed in on the group, Harmony's past literally disappearing in a blink. They were back before Harmony had even fallen completely to her knees.

"Harmony? Are you okay?" Sassi said, hesitantly approaching her coven-sister. She didn't know if Harmony would be glad to have it over, or furious with her for pushing her into this.

To her everlasting relief, Harmony let out a dry chuckle, lifting her now-purple hand to examine it.

"That felt good." She said. Sassi full out laughed and threw herself at Harmony. 

"I am so proud of you!" She said, her voice thick with amusement and conviction.

"Sassi, ow!" Harmony whined, pushing her friend away. Yazoo knelt down and gently took Harmony's injured hand.

"Hm." He said with a low chuckle. "I'm proud of you, too. You actually broke your hand on his face."

!@#$%^&*()

"I don't understand why you won't just let me use the materia on it." Yazoo said some time later.

"I told you, I want to remember this. Every time I feel it throb, every little pinch and cramp, I can remember that this happened when I finally put my father in his place." Harmony answered.

"But are you sure you still want to stay at the waterfall? Now that we know for certain that you are a Guardian, and Sassi is a Cetra, don't you want to discuss it with everyone?"

"I will." She promised. "Later. I never got my chance to think. I know that I'm being selfish, after everything that's happened. But I have more on my mind right now than Guardians, and Ancients, and secret family histories." She shot a pointed look at Kadaj. He had been there to help her, had even made a promise that he always would, but Harmony was unsure if he really meant it, or if it had just been said in the heat of the moment.

"I see." Yazoo said, his voice betraying his disappointment.

"Don't sound like that. I'll be back tomorrow."

With that, she stepped away and, mindful of her injured-and-wrapped hand, and gave Sassi and the other female group members one last hug.

From across the room, Kadaj watched the scene. He heard every word said. He knew why she was leaving again, but he didn't understand why she was leaving again.

With silence that could come only from a Remnant, he slipped out the back door, following Harmony from a short distance. 

She'd never be able to sort it out if she didn't talk to him.


	30. Strategic Pandemonium

Chapter 30

"Hey, Sassi?" Aerith said not long after Harmony had left for the waterfall. "Why don't we go to the meadow? Now that we know for sure that you're Cetran, I'd like to teach you a few things."

Sassi smiled at Aerith's excitement. "Sure." She said. "And because its obvious that you can use our magic as well, I can teach you, too. We can trade techniques."

!@#$%^&*()

Harmony sighed as she lay back in the lounge chair. "What a long day." She muttered to herself. "I found out that I'm a powerful body-guard for beings from another world, there's more to my relationship with Sassi than I ever thought possible, saw my family for the first time in ten years, and broke my hand on my father's face. And lets not forget became even more confused about-"

"About what?"

Harmony gasped and sat up straight in the plastic chair. "Kadaj! What are you doing here?"

Kadaj slowly glided toward Harmony and sat down on the table next to the chair. "We need to talk. You're running away, again."

Harmony huffed. "I am not running away! I just needed some time to think!"

"Think about what?"

"Everything, Kadaj! You, me, the fact that I'm a Guardian, and Sassi's an Ancient-"

"Dammit, don't talk about her! I'm here to talk about us!"

"Don't start, Kadaj!" Harmony said, getting angry. She stood up and started toward the cave entrance, intending to put some distance between herself and the Remnant. "I don't understand why you hate her so much. What did she do to you? Nothing! She's my best friend, and now I find out that its more than that, and-"

"Its your fault I hate her!" Kadaj screamed at Harmony's retreating form, "All you care about is her!!" She froze, facing away from him.

Suddenly, it came to her. It made so much sense. She and Kadaj were... well... not great... but okay, until Sassi came to the cabin and Harmony started spending time with her. 'This is just like with Holly...' she thought sadly, and with a twinge of residual anger and fear. For the second time that day, she lost the ability to control her mouth and the words poured out, bitterly.

"No, Kadaj, its your fault you hate her. You are so possessive, so insecure and jealous of the time I spend with her, even though you know our history, and how much we mean to eachother. You seem to think that I think less of you than I do her. Sassi is Coven. My Mother. My Father. My sister. My friend. She saved my life, Kadaj, and I've been there for her, as well." A thought struck Harmony, and while she should have taken the time to think it through, she ignored common-sense and let the words fly from her mouth.

"She's my Kiku."

Kadaj's head snapped up from its lowered position. How did she... He shook his head, willing his confusion away. "Don't you dare talk about her!" He snarled. "You don't know anything!"

"You lost her, Kadaj. She died. And now, everything that you attach yourself to becomes her. You're so afraid that you'll lose others the way you lost her, that you try to keep people all to yourself. You try to make them yours, completely ignoring what is important to them. You can't do that, Kadaj! You can't treat people this way. You have to come to terms with the fact that she's gone and she's never coming back!"

Kadaj choked back a gasp when Harmony began to speak, his body shaking with rage and disbelief. At Harmony's exclamation, he lost his fragile control over his fury and flew at her, slamming her against the wall of the cave and trapping her with his body, listening to her cry of pain and terror with what he could only recognize as joy.

'Do it.' came the voice in his head. 'Kill her. You know you want to. You know I want to. Don't you still want to make me happy, my son?'

"Mother?" Kadaj asked with a whimper.

'Oh no,' Harmony thought. She knew she had gone too far with her harsh words.

"Kadaj?" She asked carefully, "Are you with me, Kadaj?"

"Not anymore." He said.

Harmony opened her mouth to let loose a spell that would hopefully bring the Remnant back to his senses, at least long enough for her to run for help.

"You utter one word of a banishing spell, sweetheart, and I'll bite those pretty little lips right off your face." Came the raspy voice that had taken over Kadaj.

The only thing Harmony had time to do was think 'Oh, shit!' before she was flung across the cave. She bounced off the opposite wall, groaning in pain, and looked up to watch as Kadaj slowly advanced on her.

!@#$%^&*()

"Do you feel that?" Loz asked as he stopped his sparring session with Yazoo.

Yazoo stopped as well, focusing on the familiar feeling washing over his senses.

"I feel it, too..." Cloud said as he made his way to the Brothers. "It feels like-"

"Jenova!" Sephiroth said, from across the meadow. He was doubled over, clutching his head in his hand with his teeth bared.

"Where's Kadaj?" Loz said, panicked. Of all three of them, Kadaj was the most susceptible to Jenova's power.

Yazoo felt dread fill him as he realized the implications of Kadaj's absence. 

"Harmony!"

With one last panicked exclamation, Loz and Yazoo took off at full speed, Yazoo leading the way to the waterfall.

If Kadaj was there with Harmony, and Jenova managed to take over...

!@#$%^&*()

"Well, the van is here, so they must be around here somewhere." The older man said after he and the other eight people with him stepped into the cabin, finding it empty.

"They're probably at the- what was that?" A young woman with black-and-blue striped hair said. "It sounded like knocking in the basement."

The older man got a curious look on his face and walked to the door, giving only a moment's hesitation before swinging it open.

An ugly old man sat on the top step, looking scraggly and tired.

Hojo turned around and grinned internally. His plan had originally been to appeal to Harmony's sense of guilt to let him out of the basement for a while, and then make his escape. He could feel Jenova getting stronger, and longed to witness her defeat of these stupid people. For scientific purposes, of course.

However, this would do perfectly.

"Oh thank goodness!" He said in his 'old man' voice. "I thought I'd be stuck there for hours!"

The older man gave him a questioning look.

"I am Fumio Hojo, one of the travelers that Harmony so graciously agreed to help. They all went to the meadow to spar, and I went down to the basement to... wash my clothes, and the door locked behind me." He lied. They didn't need to know that he was imprisioned there intentionally.

"Oh my, well its a good thing we came early then!" Another young woman said. "I'm Corey, part of Hari's coven. Its nice to meet you!" 

"And you as well." Hojo said, turning on his 'I'm a genius scientist' charm. "If you'd like, I'll go to the meadow and tell them you're here. As I understand it, they weren't expecting you for a week."

"Yes, well. We all decided that the sooner we find out how to get you guys home, the safer it will be for all parties involved." The man said. "I'm Austin, High Priest of the Coven of the Moon."

Hojo nodded. "Good to meet you. I'll go and tell them you're here. It should only take a few minutes." He said as he walked to the door.

Waving at Austin's nod, he slipped out into the twilight. "Now," he said to himself. "If I remember right, South is the way to go."

!@#$%^&*()

"Kadaj," Harmony said calmly. "Stop this. You're letting her in. That's not what you wanted."

Kadaj stopped his advance. He had tossed Harmony around like a rag doll for the past five minutes. "It isn't?" He sounded genuinely confused.

"No, remember? You told me once that you were content to live your own life, before she came along. Isn't that still what you want?"

"I did?"

'Yes, its working!' Harmony thought. She had spend the last few minutes weaving a silent spell into her voice. With every word she spoke, the tone of her voice worked its way into Kadaj's mind, slowly and subtly closing off his connection to Jenova. Hopefully, it was done slowly enough that Jenova wouldn't notice until it was too late.

"No." That was Jenova's voice. "He does want it. All he's ever wanted is to make me happy. He's such a good boy."

"Really?" Harmony asked. "I thought you wanted me, Kadaj... I thought you wanted to make me happy." She was reaching, she knew, but all she had to do was keep talking, and not piss him - or Jenova - off. Luckily, fortune decided to have mercy on her and pay her a visit, in the form of two streaks - one black-and-silver, one blonde-and-silver - whizzing past her and tackling Kadaj to the wall of the cave.

"Are you okay?!" Yazoo shouted over Kadaj's snarling.

"Yes. Hold him still, don't hurt him. He's not himself right now." While Harmony was interested to know how they knew she was in trouble, well, first things first. "Don't let him go until I say. This may make him pass out."

With that she placed her hands on his chest and closed her eyes tightly, her lips moving in a whispered spell. With each element she spoke of, that same element would rush over Kadaj- not harming him, more like feathering against his skin and forcing the foreign presence from his mind.

"I banish you, Jenova, with the power of fire, so mote it be! I banish you, Jenova, with the power of earth, so mote it be! I banish you, Jenova, with the power of water, so mote it be! I banish you, Jenova, with the power of air, so mote it be!" 

Harmony fought the wave of fatigue that tried to overcome her, watching with worried eyes as Kadaj snarled and bucked against his captors, his eyes wild and almost afraid.

Finally, he stilled. He slumped down in Yazoo and Loz's grasp, his eyes fluttering closed leaving him looking more like a sleeping angel and less like an alien-possessed killing machine. Harmony gently lifted his head and pulled each of his eyelids up before checking his pulse.

"He's out. He'll wake up in a few minutes. I suggest we get back to the meadow, where the other's can help us if she rebounds too fast."

The Remnants nodded and Yazoo allowed Loz to swing their youngest brother onto his back. Lifting Harmony and doing the same to her, the two Remnants raced back to the meadow to find a group of strangers whispering heatedly with Sassi. Yazoo slowed and allowed Harmony to slide off of his back.

"What's wrong?" She said, walking to the group. She inclined her head to the older man wearing the black robe, and turned her attention back to Sassi.

"We have a big problem. These guys came early, as you can see, and when they got to the cabin, they let Hojo out of the basement and sent him to get us." Sassi threw a scowl at the group behind her.

"He said he locked himself in and offered to tell you guys we were here! How were we supposed to know that you locked him up 'cause he's crazy?!" A blonde woman said.

"If you had called us before, or even waited for Jodee and Melissa, someone could have told you!"

"So he's gone then?" Harmony said. Sassi nodded. 

"The trees showed him heading South about fourty-five minutes ago. When he didn't come back, Corey came looking, thinking the 'old man' may have fallen and hurt himself."

"Shit, what do we do?!"

"Well," Rufus cut in, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that Hojo is going to go to your military. He's shown in the past that he cannot resist Jenova at all. He'd do whatever it took to get in on whatever your military is planning, including-"

"Giving up our location." Sephiroth finished.

"Shit!" Harmony cursed. "What the hell are we supposed to do? We don't have anywhere else off the radar!"

Sassi lay her hand on Harmony's arm, forcing the brunette to look at her. "I know where we can go. They might try looking, but it would take months to get the documentation in place to be able to come after us."

Harmony thought hard, racking her brain for Sassi's meaning. When it finally came to her, her eyes widened considerably. "You mean...?"

"Yeah."

"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?" Austin asked. The two women huddled in close with the coven and their voices became hushed, some even going so far as to use sign language. It was a brilliant idea. It would give them plenty of time to finish their mission, and Sassi had the resources to get them there.

!@#$%^&*()

Kadaj woke to find Loz and Yazoo standing over him. Groaning, he tried to sit up. Yazoo's hand on his shoulder kept him in place.

"You should stay down. Harmony said you'd probably be dizzy for a while."

"What hap-...Oh Shiva, no..." He said as the memories came back to him. He forced Yazoo's hand away and stood on shakey legs. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

Yazoo nodded solemnly and gestured to the other end of the meadow where Harmony was deep in a discussion with a group of strangers.

"Who is that?" Kadaj asked. 

"Her coven." Was Yazoo's clipped answer.

"What's your problem?" Kadaj shouted. "I know I freaked out but you can't blame me for that!"

At the commotion, Harmony's head turned toward the Remnants and she held her hand up to silence the woman she was talking to. With a few more nods and rushed whispers, the group disbanded, Harmony making her way toward Kadaj with a purpose.

"Are you okay?" She said cautiously.

Kadaj let out a rueful laugh. "I should be asking you that."

"I'm fine. It was my spell that trapped her in the first place, she's weak to my power, in a way."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No more than you do when we spar." Harmony answered flippantly. She turned to walk off, stopping when Kadaj grabbed her arm.

"I'm sorry. Not just about... that... but about..." He sounded so unsure and almost annoyed with himself as he searched for the right words. Well, he knew the right words, he just couldn't bring himself to say them.

"We'll talk about it later."

Kadaj gave her a hard look. "Are you still-"

"Running away? No. We will discuss this later. But right now, we have a problem, and we all need to get back to the cabin. We have to get out of here as soon as possible. We're going to the Lunar Ranch for a couple of nights, and then..."

Kadaj waited with impatient anticipation for her to finish.

"We're going to Ireland."


	31. Miriam and Jimmy Flint

Chapter 31

"Hey, Harmony? Have you seen Sassi?" Loz asked as he apporached the busy woman. The group was loading their packed suitcases and bags into the backs of the three vehicles parked outside the cabin. 

"Not recently. Last time I saw her she was loading her bags into her truck. Have you checked her room?" Harmony answered, distracted.

"Yeah, and I checked the meadow. I can't find her."

Harmony paused, and her eyes darkened, becoming almost misty with understanding. "I know where she is." She finished putting her portion of the luggage into the van, and then grabbed his arm. "Come on. I think I might need some help with this."

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi dreaded her spring break. Her classmates kept going on and on about where they were headed. One to the French Rivera, another to tour Italy. When asked about her plans Sassi spoke of Ireland and how she would see her Grandfather again. She missed him very much, but her story of crossing the ocean was just that: a story. Her father would never schedule the time off, and heaven forbid if mother and daughter took a trip without Father. 

Father was always trying to cut off ties with their homeland, insisting they were Americans now. Sassi watched the clock on this, the last day before break, as all the other children were. They with excitement, she with trepidation. Time was up. She moved sluggishly, last one to leave. She didn't get on the bus today. Father had told her they needed to talk. After she had overheard her parents last fight, Sassi was leery of what his conversation would bring. 

She easily spotted the Ford Grand Torino, shiny with a new coat of wax. A strikingly handsome man lounged behind the steering wheel, looking for all the world like a loving father. Sassi wished he would keep up the charade out of site of the school. She inwardly sighed as she climbed into the car. Almost at once he launched into a well rehearsed sermon. Sassi tuned him out. She could spew this particular verbal punishment word for word. All about fitting in with her American neighbors and becoming the model Catholic. His words finally drifted to a stop as he puffed up with pride at delivering a perfect speech without interruption. 

Sassi spent the remainder of the drive working out the kinks in her plan. If everything went well, Sassi's mother would start to doubt her feelings toward her husband. Her thoughts were interrupted as her father made an announcement. 

"I took time off this week. It's your break correct?"

"Yes," she replied with a slight question in her tone. 

"I will be taking over your home study," Father commanded, "I think your mother has been lax in bible study. After all, if she was properly teaching you these incidents at school would not be happening. Your mother hasn't been teaching you the Gaelic has she?" 

Sassi knew she needed to be careful here. Mother was doing just that, but part of Father's requirement for becoming American was the complete ignorance if her heritage.   
"No." 

Father looked at her as if he didn't quite believe the lie, but said nothing more. 

 

888888888888888888888888888

The next few days everyone was walking on eggshells. The slightest crack could set off the angry bomb inside Father. Sassi's parents would argue at every opportunity. Spurred by the simple bursts of emotion Sassi projected into her mother. 

One evening Sassi came into the kitchen smelling a delicious aroma. Mother was chopping onions and crying. Not the simple tears one usually gets from the harsh plant, but stifled sobs. Sassi maneuvered to see her mother's face where a fresh bruise was swelling her cheek.

Sassi decided right then that her plan had to be put in motion tonight. The table set, everyone seated, and grace having been spoken, dinner was a tense affair- clinking of silverware against plates and the cicadas chirping outside punctuated by outbursts of anger from her father. He complained about the food, the used furniture, his daughter. Sassi picked at her food, nervous. 'Now or never' she thought, as her father's words lashed about the room. 

Quick as a snake she grabbed each parent by their naked wrist. Her hands barely closed around their flesh when she released the power. Time seemed to slow. Sassi drew in their emotions. Anger flowed up her right arm from her father. Fear slid up her left to mingle with the little girls own trepidation. Sassi forced the anger into Mother and planted a double dose of fear into Father. It was high time he knew what he did to his family. 

It was over in the blink of an eye. Sassi felt a wave of exhaustion try to consume her. But she forced herself not to pass out. The polarity in the room had shifted. Mother was clenching a knife, knuckles white and angry. Her head jerked up and fixed her eyes on her husband. A guttural snarl escaped her clamped lips. All at once, she leapt up and tried to vault over the table, launching herself at Father. He slid his chair back with a chilling screech of wood on tile. The chair hit the wall and tripped him as he tried to back away. 

Sassi tried to cry out, but her body wouldn't respond. She watched as her mother attacked her father, making inhuman sounds. In relief Sassi noticed the projected fear slough from her father, like a black energy being sucked into the ground. She waited for the same to happen to Mother, but the energy didn't dissipate. Sassi's last image before her exhaustion over took her was her father trying to fend off a mad woman's steak knife. 

88888888888888888

Sassi woke to the high chime of crashing glass. She was huddled under the dinner table, cold tile supporting her cheek. Another crash of shattered glass pulled her attention to the far side of the kitchen. Mother was in the process of emptying the cupboards and hurling any object she could find at the closed door that lead to the living room. Mother was hurtling curses and foul words along with the glass. Sassi began to shiver with shock. She scuttled further under the table, back pressed against the wall and knees drawn up to her chest. The keening of a police siren halted Mother's next throw. 

"Fucking asshole! You called the police?!? Too cowardly to face your poor simpering   
wife? By all means, let them come in! I'm sure they would love to hear what you've been doing to your darling family!" 

Red and blue lights bounced methodically through the kitchen's sliding glass door. Sassi could hear the slamming of several car doors. How many squad cars did they need? Men's voices came muffled through the window and dark figures were outlined by the flashing lights. Sassi's mother mumbled, eyes narrowed, rifling through a drawer. The glint of metal caught the girls eye and Sassi could see her pale reflection in the broad flat side of the large blade. 

A sharp rapping broke Sassi's trance. A peace officer was knocking on the glass door. Mother hid the blade behind her back as the man spoke. 

"Mrs. Flint, this is officer Gates, your husband is concerned for your daughter, where is the girl?" 

"My daughter, MY daughter. Is she not his too?" she shouted back. 

"Mrs. Flint, open the door and we can settle this peacefully. Your daughter would be safer out here. No one needs to get hurt." he replied

Sickly sweet Mother rounded on Sassi, "Little bird, would you open the door?"

That tone sent chills down her spine. Yet she did as asked all the same. Once the handle was unlocked Gates pulled it open and herded Sassi outside with a hand on her shoulder. He placed the girl behind him and Sassi noticed his other hand was poised on the handle of his pistol. 

"Mrs Flint I'm going to need to see both your hands." Gates said. "Both hands empty and at your side" 

"Where are you taking my girl? Don't give her to HIM. Whatever he has told you, it's a lie!" Mother spat. 

"Final warning, hands empty and at your side!" Gates commanded. Sassi began to shake again, she had a feeling this would get worse if she didn't stop it. Three more officers were in battle formation behind her. Sassi darted toward her mother, intending to suck all emotion from the deranged woman. The girl knocked Gates slightly and her mother saw that as the time to strike. The woman slashed the air centimeters from the policeman's face. 

"Mom no!" Sassi screeched. Clamping her hand against exposed flesh the child began to seep the anger from her parent. At that moment Gates large hand tugged Sassi's arm. 'No!' she screamed internally as the power flowed in the same manner as earlier. The process was halted halfway through as backup arrived and tore Sassi away, dragging her to a squad car. A shriek tore the night air, sounding eerily like a screaming panther followed by a short blast as a gun was fired. 

"Mommy! Mooooommmmyyy!" Sassi yelled, straining the limits of her voice. She struggled against the arms holding her, but an eight year old girl was no match for a grown man. Sassi cried herself hoarse in the deathly silence that filled the area. 

!@#$%^&*()

"Sassi?" Harmony's voice jolted Sassi from her disturbing memory. She turned around to find her coven-sister and Loz standing a few feet away.

"Oh, hey Hari."

"Are you okay?"

Sassi thought about her answer. 'Am I okay?' She wasn't sure. This place had a deeper meaning to Sassi than any other place North America. She hadn't meant to be here so long, to lose herself in thought as she had... but she wanted to see it again. She had a feeling that this might just be the last time she saw this place, or the cabin, either.

At Sassi's silence, Harmony understood the thoughts rolling through her mind. She nudged Loz forward, encouraging him to go to Sassi's side. As he did, Harmony slowly slipped out of sight. She knew that nothing she said could make Sassi feel better right now, but maybe, just maybe, Loz could.

!@#$%^&*()

"Hey." Loz said, resting his gloved hand on Sassi's bare shoulder. Even though the touch was feather-soft, it still made Sassi flinch.

"Hi." She answered blandly.

"Wanna talk about it?" He pressed.

Sassi chuckled ruefully. "Are you going to keep pushing until I tell you, even if I don't want to talk about it?"

"Yeah." He answered simply.

So Sassi sighed and launched into the tale of her untrained power and the death of her mother. When she was finished, she looked at Loz, surprised to find tears leaving pale tracks down his slightly dusty face.

"I'm sorry." He said. Suddenly, as though a switch had been flipped, he became almost violently angry. "What happened to your father? Is he still alive?"

Sassi had a feeling that if she answered in the affirmative, he wouldn't be for long. Luckily, that wasn't the case.

"He's dead. Ten years ago."

"How?" He just wouldn't let it drop!

"I don't want to talk about it, Loz."

"Tell me!"

"Why do you need to know?!"

"Because I want the satifaction of knowing whether or not he suffered as much as he made you suffer!"

Sassi blanched. "Stop Loz. Please. You have no idea."

“You’re right, I don’t. That’s why you need to tell me!”

Okay, now she was pissed. “You want to know what happened so badly? Fine. I’ll show you!”

With that, she thrust her hands out and planted them on Loz’s bare chest. With little thought for how he may react to her power of projection, she forced her memories to the surface, over-riding his thought process and shoving his consiousness into the back of his mind.

!@#$%^&*()

“She’s a real pretty one, Jimmy. Real pretty.” Crooned her father’s business partner. Her father and the man had been drinking nonstop for nearly three hours, and Sassi was becoming agitated. With eery shot, the man - Johnny, she remembered - became more and more enamoured by her. He had already pinched and grabbed her hind-end twice when she walked by to pour their drinks.

“She’s just a stupid bitch. You can have her if you want.” Her father answered with a slur. Sassi froze in panic.

“You hear that, beautiful? You’re one lucky little lady. Your Daddy cares about you enough to let his best friend take care of you.” He reached for her and roughly dragged her into his lap, planting wet, disgusting kisses along her shoulder as he pulled her shirt off to the side.

With every brush of skin, Sassi was given sickening glimpses into his twisted mind. Visions of her spead out on a bed, him on top of her, abusing her teenaged body. Of being tied down while he forced his-

“No!” She cried, beginning to struggle. A lucky shot to the chin had Johnny dropping her onto the floor.

“Not very well behaved, is she?” He snarled, turning a glare to Sassi’s father.

With a fierce growl, Sassi’s father, humiliated that she would disobey him before his peer, grabbed her by the shoulder and hauled her to her feet, forcing her into the den where he could punish her away from prying eyes.

Jimmy Flint was always very careful when he ‘punished’ his daughter. He wore gloves, always, to keep her demons from penetrating his mind. This time, however, the mixture of alcohol and outrage drove him beyond the point of reason and he raised a bare handed fist high above his head, bringing it down across Sassi’s cheek with furious force.

Sassi cried out, screaming and begging, her pleas only seeming to infuriate her father even more.

With the next blow to her bruised and bloody skin, Sassi’s retro-cognitive ability picked up the thoughts she feared the most.

‘No more! Demon from Hell! Her fault! All her fault! Witch! Witch! WITCH!’ 

Her connection ended with the vision of her broken and bloody on the floor, eyes open but unseeing, blood pouring, but heart not beating, lungs no longer straining for much-needed air.

Terror overtook her, and she did the only thing she could think to do. The one thing she had not yet attempted. With a desperate push, she kicked her father off of her, gaining her feet. She didn’t even look behind her to see if he was following her as she ran. She didn’t know where she would go. how she would survive in the desolate forest, but she did know that she would rather be killed by the elements, than be turtured to death by the man that called himself her father. Tree branches scratched bleeding lines across her cheeks as she stumbled through the darkness, large, thorny bushes leaving gashes in her bare feet.

‘Oh, please, God, no!’ She sobbed internally. Ahead of her, the ground gave way to a towering drop. She had no where to go.

Hearing her father crashing a cursing behind her, she thought desperately of a way to survive. Before she could form a rational plan, her father was on her again. She struggled in his grip, both teetering on the edge of the cliff. Sassi tried with all her might to push the evil and hateful thoughts that seeped from her father to her out of her mind.

She didn’t know why she did it. 

Looking back, she realizes that she meant only to share her pain with her father before he expelled her from this world.

Her hands gripped his wrists in a iron hold. He struggled, somehow knowing that the tables had suddenly turned in her favor.

Taking a deep breathe, Sassi steeled herself and pushed. 

All of the saddness. All of the fear. The hatred. The physical torture. The emotional scars. Every moment of the Hellish existence that Jimmy had put his daughter through in the fifteen years of her life all crashed together in one half-second.

Jimmy screamed, yanking himself from his daughter’s grasp. Sassi watched in horrified fascination as her father crumbled to the ground, his head in his hands and wailing like a banshee.

His screams were mostly incoherent, but Sassi could pick out a few words. Mostly curses, and then pleading. Pleading for it to stop. For the pain to go away. For forgiveness. For mercy. For “Please, I’ll never do it again, just make it stop!”

But Sassi could not, would not make it stop.

After agonizing minutes had passed, her still shrieking father managed to gain his feet, stumbling in zigzags and shaking his head, trying to rid the vicious memories and emotions once more.

For the first time, Sassi felt a different kind of fear. This time, not of her father, but rather for her father as she watched the man stumble closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. She reached out with a gasp, a last minute effort to catch his flailing arms as his already-unstable balance was lost.

Her scream echoed throughout the forest as Jimmy Flint slipped from view, crashing to his doom two-hundred feet below.

!@#$%^&*()

Loz gasped as Sassi yanked herself away from him. Tears were streaming down her face, her whole body shaking with rage and anguish at having to relive that memory.

“There,” She spat as his panting form. “You’re not crazy, and you know what happened.” She began to stomp away from him when his hand grasped her wrist.

“Wait!” He pleaded, “I’m-”

“Sorry?” She cut in, her Irish accent again making it nearly impossible to decipher what she was saying. “Maybe next time you’ll listen to me and leave me the hell alone!”

Loz could only watch, tears threatening to fall once more as Sassi slipped through the foliage, leaving a very confused and apologetic Remnant at her back.


	32. Cry Me a River

Chapter 32

Harmony was jostled awake by the bouncing of the van as Yazoo pulled into the drive at the Lunar Ranch behind Sassi's SUV and the van carrying the other coven members. 

"Sleep well?" Zack snickered from beside her.

"Great, thanks." She answered flippantly. As the groups exited their vehicles, Jodee and Melissa began directing people to their temporary quarters. Harmony fliched, but said nothing as she was assigned a room with Kadaj in the empty wranglers housing. 

She tried valiantly to pay attention to the group surrounding her, but found herself lost in her mind. Everything had happened in just one day, and her attempt to remain strong and ignore the need to panic was close to overwhelming her as her exhaustion grew more persistent. 

'Focus.' She told herself. 'Just get your stuff squared away, go have some dinner, and go to bed. It'll be all be back to normal in the morning.' She snorted internally. Back to normal? What the hell had ever been normal in her life? Even so, before her 'friends' came along, she at least had some semblance of normalcy. She sighed. 'I have to stop feeling sorry for myself. I'll never have that again.'

Her thoughts remained just as dark throughout dinner, but then again, she was sure she was not the only one who's life would be irrevocably changed by the appearance of these visitors.

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi sat quietly at the large table on the back deck of the main house. They had searched the entire Ranch -every store room, shed, and closet- to find enough folding tables that there would be enough room for everyone to sit.

She could feel Loz's stare from a few places down and she sighed to herself. With everything that had happened, she could now understand Harmony's reluctance to get too close to the youngest Remnant. First of all, it wouldn't end well. They were leaving. Even if it took them years to find a way to send them back, eventually... they would all leave. Second -and more important, in Sassi's opinion- was the fact that she was just not able of sustaining a lasting relationship. Loz was the first lover she was ever able to enjoy being with, as she didn't have to worry about what she would see. Though most of her coven members thought that being able to see into your partners mind was a great gift, Sassi could only hate it. Yeah, it was real great being able to see that one boyfriend was cheating on her, or that another was only interested in showing his friends that he could score with the Hottie Lawyer.

Speaking of which... obviously -with Hojo on the run and probably spilling his guts to the authorities at this very moment- her career was over. They'd be hunting her just as much as Harmony, now. And who knew what would happen to the personal lives of the other coven members? The only ones that Hojo had not personally met were Jodee and Melissa.

"Sassi?" Elena said, carefully prodding her clothed shoulder. 

"Sorry, I was spacing," Sassi shook her head. "Did you need something?"

"I asked how you planned on getting us all to this Ireland place. According to the research I've done we'll need what you call 'Passports' to get out of the country." Elena answered. Looking around, Sassi could see that the other visitors were interested in her answer, as well.

"I'm a lawyer. I have connections." Sassi answered simply. 

"I see." Rufus said from across the table. "That will prove to be very advantagous."

!@#$%^&*()

Kadaj watched Harmony all throughout the night. He was overjoyed, and at the same time drowning in anxiety, when Melissa had decided that he and Harmony would room together. He saw the flinch when it was announced, and was confused and grateful that she didn't speak against it.

Harbor no illusions, he still was not happy with the dynamic between Harmony and Sassi, but after what happened at the waterfall, even he had to admit that discussing it may not be such a good idea. He'd come out with it, admitted that Sassi was his problem, and Harmony had also said her piece. Now all that he had to do was somehow fix what they broke. 

The problem being, Kadaj couldn't fix things the way he used to. Before, if something was wrong, he used threats and violence to fix it. And people jumped to do as he said. But he couldn't do that with Harmony, because even though at times she appeared timid and submissive, she was far from it. Hell, she was almost as strong-willed and stubborned as he was! 

As he watched her at the dinner table, he could see the utter exhaustion in her eyes, and, if he didn't know any better, he'd think the first signs of delirium. She was holding something in. Something that was slowly eating away at her. He had to get her into bed. He had to make her rest, or she'd wear herself down to nothing. 

It was strange to him, caring. Maybe Harmony was right. The last person he really cared about at all had been Kiku. And ShinRa took her away from him. Even when he met his brothers, there had been a certain amount of comraderie between them, but Kadaj had never really cared. They were a means to an end. The ultimate end. Hell, did he even really care about Jenova? Or was she also just a way to exact revenge on those that wronged him?

Unbeknownst to the Remnant, a dim blue light began whisping into existance, flickering weakly as his thoughts continued.

Yes, it was true. He had cared nothing, for anyone, until coming to this world. Even Harmony, at first, was a conquest. It wasn't until he kissed her in the forest that day, and she broke down in a post-traumatic-stress induced panic, that he started to see her for who she really was. That he started to care about her problems, her happiness. He could even say now that he cared about his brothers, even Cloud. He knew he had a lot to make up for if they ever went home, and he had already resolved that he would do whatever it took to protect the very world he had tried to destroy. He just hoped that no one he cared about was hurt in the process.

At that moment, when the blue light shined the brightest, blinding those sitting at the table letting loose sounds of concern and awe, he realized probably his most important discovery yet.

Caring is fucking scary!

!@#$%^&*()

As Kadaj watched Harmony, Loz watched Sassi. He knew she knew he was watching her. Its not like he was really trying to hide it.

He knew that everyone saw him as 'The Big Dumb One', but he wasn't. Yeah, sure, he was locked up in a lab for most of his life. He could admit that because of that, he found it difficult to socialize. He may act confident, but it was only a cover, hiding those pesky insecurities. 

He felt badly about forcing her to relive what were obviously extremely painful memories, but he still couldn't understand why she had acted that way with him. Maybe he shouldn't have forced her? No. That's not right. Sassi had acted skittish since the first time he met her. Like she was afraid of him.

Then, in a moment of pure clarity, it hit him hard enough that he almost flew backwards out of his chair.

No, no, she wasn't afraid of him. She was afraid for him. He was smart enough to put two and two together and see that if Sassi ever lost control of her projections, the effects could be fatal to whomever she touched.

But hadn't it already been established -three times, now- that her powers were less effective against Jenova cells?

There was also the Cetran topic to approach. No one had really addressed this new development. It just kind of got swept under the rug.

Loz found that odd. Finding out that Sassi was a Cetra, and Harmony was a Guardian ought to have been a big thing, but the both of them -along with everyone else, it seemed- just blew it off. 

Maybe they were waiting to discuss it until they were in a safer place. Maybe they hadn't come to terms with it, themselves. Maybe they were unable (or unwilling) to accept it. He couldn't even begin to guess.

But he did know one thing: Sassi Flint was running from him, and she was absolutely insane if she thought she'd get away.

No one got away from Loz. He's very fast, after all.

!@#$%^&*()

Harmony sobbed into Sassi's shoulder, grateful that for the moment, Kadaj had not followed her into their room.

Her 'Angst Checklist' as she had dubbed it, was indeed a long one, and rather that pick at any one of her concerns at a time, she gave in to all of them, sobbing hard and clutching the salty-wet fabric of her blanket to her chest.

'All this time my parents knew... they tortured me because of my blood...their blood!'

'Kadaj could have killed me today, and it was my own fault for using his sister as a weapon against him.'

'Sassi's an Ancient, and when the time comes, she might leave with them...' The last thought only made the her shuddering body heave even harder.

"Talk to me, Hari. I can't stand seeing you like this!" Sassi said, her own voice wavering.

"Its just... everything that's happened today. My parents, Kadaj, finding out about our... gifts..."

Sassi nodded. "I feel that. Pretty crazy, isn't it? I tell you what, if I had any inkling as to what I was, the name Flint would be feared by the man who bestowed in on me." Harmony let out a sad chuckle.

"What are we going to do? Our careers are ruined, we can never go home. Are we supposed to just stay in Ireland forever? And you..." Harmony paused, selfishly not wanting to broach the subject and spur Sassi on if she hadn't already considered it. "Do you... do you want to try to go with them? You know as well as I do that there would be no one to learn from here... and I think... I think I know the real reason they were sent here." She let out another heart-wrenching sob. "While I still think they were sent here to learn a lesson and earn their second chances, I think there's more to it than that. Sassi I... I think that their lifestream decided it was time, and sent them here to find you and bring you home."

Sassi was silent, thinking on what Harmony had said. Was that true? Was she expected to go with them, now that her origins had been discovered? Did she even want to go? And what about Harmony? Could she really just leave her here to fend for herself, never able to stay in the same place, always looking over her shoulder, expecting the miliraty to nab her and stick her in a lab as nothing more than a guinea pig? And then, out of the festering darkness an idea made itself known. Serenity as she had never experienced washed over her, and the answer was oh so clear.

"Well then, don't you see? Its obvious. We both go with them."

Harmony's head jerked up and she stared incredulously at Sassi. Her friend smiled. "Like I would ever leave you here. You're a part of this package deal, mo chara."

Harmony continued to stare in shock before shaking herself out of it. "Are you insane? That's it, today has been too much. You're delirious. Go to bed. Now."

Sassi let out a quiet laugh and stood from the bed. "Okay, okay. You have a point. We'll talk about it later, when we're more rested. But please don't brush it off. Think about it. Just not tonight. I'm going to go see if the other's need some help before I head off to bed."

Harmony nodded, sniffling and trying to hold in the sobs that once again threatened to spill from her throat.

"Good night, Sass."

"Night, freako."

Sassi then made her exit, however, upon rounding the corner, she nearly ran headlong into the youngest Remnant. She stood still, blocking his path and staring him down. Harmony had told her everything that happened at the waterfall, and she was pissed. However, she could kind of see where he was coming from. She was pretty protective of her loved ones, too. Protective enough, that she risked killing Kadaj when she projected on him. She made up her mind and took a deep breath.

"I understand where you're coming from, and that you feel neglected. I'm sorry that you feel that way, but you have to understand something, too." She paused to make sure he was listening to her. At his gesture to continue, she spoke again.

"I will always be a part of Harmony's life."

!@#$%^&*()

Try as Harmony might, after Sassi left, she couldn't hold the tears back any longer.

A noise from the doorway had her jerking around to face it.

Glowing green cat eyes stared at her from the darkness of the hallway, the moonlight revealing Kadaj as he stepped into the room.

She turned away from him. "Please, not tonight, Kadaj. I can't." Her voice broke, "I can't do it tonight!"

"Harmony..." He said, not moving from his spot.

"Its all just gone to hell. My career, my life, everything I thought I knew about myself, about my family, about you-" Her sobs cut off with a gasp as she suddenly found herself wrapped in the secure embrace of the youngest Remnant.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

She had never heard such warmth in his voice before, and it only made the tears even harder to suppress. So she stopped trying. Burying her face in the crook of Kadaj's neck, she cried. She cried, and cried, and cried.

The others passing the room each stopped to spare a concerned glance at the sight they found, before leaving the two alone to their business.

Even Sassi found it hard to be angry at the Remnant when she saw how much Harmony's pain upset him.

In the cold moonlight that bathed the room, Harmony's sobs faded to light, even breaths as she finally gave in to exhaustion and fell asleep, wrapped tightly in the arms of one very confused, very lost Remnant.


	33. Of Horses and Men

Chapter 33

"Thanks, Kelly. I'll send Jodee or Celeste into town to get the documents." Sassi said. After saying goodbye to her contact, Sassi hung up the phone. She absolutely hated having to rely on Jodee for a connection to the outside world, but she knew from working as a defense attorney that the authorities were probably on the look out for her cell phone signal.

"Get it taken care of?" Tifa said as she sat down next to Sassi.

"Yeah, but there was a problem." Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and focused on her.

"What kind of problem?" Cloud asked.

"Well, I was able to get everyone fake ID's, Birth certificates, and Social Security numbers... but I can't get you passports."

"Why not?" Yuffie asked.

Sassi huffed. "I don't really want to go into it. Something about an Italian, a Greek, and a shitload of illegal narcotics. Suffice it to say that I cannot legally be seen with any other passport save my own, professionally or otherwise."

The group chuckled at her obvious skirting of the issue.

She continued. "My contact says that he'll have the stuff ready in two hours. And you all had better not do anything to get us busted! Do you know how much money this is costing me?" She closed her eyes and muttered, "I can't believe I'm participating in what is basically human trafficking. I'm so fired."

"So what do you guys want to do today? There's really nothing that can be done until we get the documents, and Sassi and I figure out how to get you guys passports." Harmony said.

"Hari, I got you fake stuff, too. They're looking for you. Do you really think that if you use your credit cards, or your passport, that you'll get through airport security? I just don't know what to do about the passports."

"I have an idea." Offered the black-and-blue haired woman, Celeste. "Why don't you use glamours?"

"Glamours... how would we do that?" Sassi asked interested.

"Well, we all know that Harmony is amazing with illusions. It's her glamour that protects your cabin. What if you guys got some little flip books, the same size and thickness of a normal passport, and Hari cast a glamour on them? Just use her real passport as a reference, and it should work, right?"

Harmony and Sassi exchanged shocked glances with the rest of the coven members.

"You know, I think-" Harmony started.

"She's right." Sassi finished.

"Hey, Harmony, Sassi," Jodee cut in. "Why don't we relax for a while. Do something that will help center your energy. That way, when you try to cast your glamour, its more likely to be successful." She offered.

"Well, what did you have in mind? Remember, we only have maybe an hour and a half at the most before I get those documents, and buy the tickets. If we're lucky, we can be in New York tonight or tomorrow morning, and out of the country a few hours after that." Sassi reminded.

"Well, who knows how long it will be before you get to see your horses again? Lets go riding. How long has it been since you two went riding together?"

Sassi and Harmony smiled. It had certainly been a while.

!@#$%^&*()

"Killian!" Sassi called as she stepped through the gate into the pasture. She let out a sharp whistle and every horse in the pen looked up. Upon realizing who had gotten their attention, they (all twenty-three of them) rushed her, a small, lithe black horse knocking her to the ground and lipping affectionately at her hair.

Loz let out a startled sound and made to intercept the other horses, but Harmony stopped him, a gentle smile on her face.

"Just watch." She said.

He did as she said, watching with an expression of anxiety as the horses closed in on Sassi, each shoving the others and vying for the girls attention.

He finally relaxed then he hears her giggle. "Get off, me, Killian! Get off, you Great Beast!" The horses parted to reveal the small black horse down on his front legs, his sleek head planted firmly against Sassi's chest, pinning her to the ground. He nickered softly, teeth catching in her shirt, head waving about.

"Hey! If you rip this, its no apples for a month!" Sassi threatened.

The horse immediately backed off, looking abashed. 

"Aw," Sassi said, standing and wrapping her arms around the animal's neck. "I missed you, too." She turned around with a smile. "Ready, Hari?"

Harmony smiled and made her way to the post where Fionnlagh was tied, unwinding the reins and slinging herself onto the horses back.

"Aren't you going to use a saddle?" Loz asked. Sassi laughed.

"This horse has never worn a saddle. A blanket, once in a while, but never a saddle."

"He's very pretty." Aerith said from behind Zack. The two were comfortable seated on the back on another of Melissa's large Clydesdales. "What kind of horse is he? Melissa said there's lots of different types of horses."

"Killian is Arabian. Small, but powerful. That's why I named him Killian. The name is celtic, and it means strife, or battle, small, and fierce. Like me." She snickered.

Sassi swept herself onto Killian's back, wrapping her fingers in his mane and nudging him forward.

"So wanna just ride around the outskirts for a little while?" Harmony asked. Sassi nodded, and then a small nudge at her leg had her looing down. Kadaj stood at her side, looking up at her with a slightly hopeful, slightly bashful look on his face. Harmony smiled, though inside she was as tense as the strings on her guitar. She reached her hand down, allowing him to grasp it with a smile and swing up behind her. Fionlaugh danced nervusly for a moment, not used to carrying two people, but calmed quickly, and soon, the group was off.

!@#$%^&*()

"This is so not like riding a chocobo!" Yuffie whined from behind Jodee.

"How is it different?" Harmony asked, eager to know more about the strange birds.

"The gate... Chocobos walk on two legs, these animals have four... it just... the timing feels off."

"Yeah, I guess I can see that." Harmony said as the group came to a narrow ledge. "Walk them across one at a time, guys. When you get to the other side, the next one will go." She instructed as though it was as natural as walking through a field of daisies.

Sassi went first, followed by Loz, then Sephiroth and Genesis. When it came time for Zack and Aerith to cross, Zack led the horse, and Aerith trailed along behind.

It happened so quickly that no one even knew it happened until Aerith and Harmony were on the other side of the ledge.

Harmony saw Aerith's foot slip a fraction too close to the ledge, and at that moment, time almost seemed to freeze. The flower girl was halfway over the edge, those behind her having not even the time to gasp before Harmony had her around the waist and on the other side.

"Are you okay?!" Zack said frantically.

"Yes... how did you do that?" She said to Harmony.

"I... I don't know... I saw you fall and it was like I was moving before I even really knew what was going on." She answered, bashfully rubbing the back of her neck.

Aerith laughed. "That only stands to solidify it. You are a guardian. If one of the Remnants, or Cloud or Vincent didn't react before you, you'd have to be. And I bet that if it had been anyone but me, or Sassi, you wouldn't have reacted nearly as fast!"

Harmony was silent as she contemplated Aerith's words. Kadaj led Fionnlagh across and helped Harmony up, before climbing up himself.

"Its okay." He said when he felt her shaking. "Don't worry about it right now, there'll be plenty of time for that later."

Harmony noticed that they were falling far behind the others, Kadaj controlling the horse better than she'd have expected. "What are you doing?" She asked, nervous.

"I wanted to talk. Please, if I promise not to go nuts, will you just listen?" Kadaj said, carefully measuring his voice.

Harmony sighed. "Okay."

Kadaj let out a sigh of relief and started. "I'm sorry about what happened at the waterfall. I just got so angry that all those walls that were keeping Jenova out just completely crumbled. I know that you know who I am, and what I've done, and though I may have threatened to hurt you in the past, you know that I would do anything to keep you safe, now, even from myself."

Harmony gasped as she caught on to what he was saying. "I know you're not saying what I think you're saying!" She said, anger beginning to bubble in her veins.

"I'm serious, Hari. I don't want to hurt you, and Jenova has proven that she has a vendetta against you, personally! I said I'd always protect you, and if that includes staying away from you then-"

He was cut off by the feeling of Harmony's lips crashing against his with brutal force. She pulled away quickly.

"You are such a fucking idiot, sometimes." She grumbled. "You are the first person that I have allowed close to me in nine years, Kadaj! Nine years! I can't believe that you think I'm going to let you do something so stupid. Jenova hating me has nothing to do with you. She hates me because I'm the one who trapped her. Whether you're around or not, she'd find a way."

"But I thought you didn't want anything to do with me anymore, after what I said about Sass-"

"Jesus, Kadaj. You're like a little kid. 'Mommy, he broke my toy, I'm never speaking to him again!' God, we had an argument! It isn't the end of the world! It like you've never-" She paused and her eyes went wide. "You've never had a relationship before, have you?"

He looked away from her shocked gaze. "No. I've slept with women, but those were just one-night-stands and I don't even know any of their names."

Harmony's gaze softened. "I see." In a dangerously acrobatic move, she flipped herself around in Fionnlagh's saddle to face him. Wrapping her arms around him, she continued. "I'm still upset about what you said, and how jealous you've been acting, but its just a fight, Kadaj. Its natural for couples to argue. Hell, its unhealthy when they don't."

Kadaj smirked. "So we're a couple?"

Harmony blushed and choked. "I uh... I guess we-AH!"

Fionnlagh suddenly reared back, dumping both passengers from his back. When the two stood, he situated himself between Harmony and Kadaj.

The horse stared at Kadaj, and the Remnant got the distinct impression that the horse was peering into his very soul, reading him, knowing him. The horse moved closer, his forehead nearly touching the Remnant's. As though the horse had spoken to him, Kadaj got the feeling the horse wanted him to say something.

"You too, huh?" He chuckled, as close as he had come to admitting his feelings aloud. "I understand. I'll take care of her. I'm happy to know that you're looking out for her, too." Kadaj reached up with a careful hand and ran his fingers gently down the horses brow.

Fionnlagh snorted and leaned into the touch, and Kadaj knew that he had been accepted. The horse turned from Kadaj, presenting his back, and the youngest Remnant wasted no time hopping into the saddle. He turned to Harmony with a grin that the young witch could only describe as 'romance novel cheesy'. Holding out his hand, he waited, and his grin widened when Harmony took it and allowed him to swing her up behind him.

"I'd ask what that was about, but I think I already know." She said.

"Its nothing, we just came to an understanding. Man talk." Kadaj chuckled. Harmony slugged his shoulder.

"Don't be sexist."

Kadaj laughed and reached behind him to grab her arm. Puling her closer, he turned his head and sealed their lips together.

A subtle cough had them tearing apart.

"While I can admit to seeing the appeal, this is hardly the appropriate moment to go 'looking for a good time'." Vincent said.

"Darkness," Kadaj said, adopting Harmony's nickname for the gunman, "You wouldn't know a good time if it jumped up, knocked you out, dragged you to a secret location, and had its way with you."

Vincent's expression became a strange cross of angry and flustered. "I know how to have a good time!" He defended.

"Oh yeah? When was the last time you got any?"

Vincent thought about not answering his question, but decided that silence would only spur the Remnant to tease him, more. Though in hindsight, his answer was no better. "Twenty-six years and three days."

Kadaj and Harmony's eyes widened.

"You're actually keeping track?" The Remnant exclaimed.

"Oh, do shut up!"

!@#$%^&*()

"Okay, everyone's got their papers?" Sassi asked as the group loaded into two seperate vehicles.

"Yup. Lets hope your glamours hold up." Zack said to Harmony.

It had been decided that they would travel seperately - Sassi with the women, and Harmony with the men - until they reached Kennedy Airport in New York.

"You be careful." Sassi said to her coven-sister. It was odd, looking at a complete stranger, even though she knew that underneath the glamour was her best friend.

"I will be. Vegas is huge. It's you I'm worried about. You'll be waiting at the airport for three hours before we get there. Anything could happen in that time." 

"But it won't." Sassi assured. "Austin and the others will wait a week, and then every other week, a few of them will follow us. Just keep them in line on the flight. I do not want to know what would happen if Reno got carried away with a female flight attendant!"

Harmony chuckled. "Me neither." She sobered as Yuffie called out to Sassi that they were running behind. "May the grace of Diana guide and protect you, sister."

Sassi nodded, her look mirroring Harmony's. "Blessed be."

Harmony watched Sassi climb into her truck, and watched still as they pulled out of sight. She turned to her companions and sighed as she spotted Zack trying to subtly stick a straw into a dozing Reno's nose.

'This is going to be a long flight.'


	34. Family Reunion? What?

Chapter 34

 

"What happened before we met up? When we got on the plane in New York, you looked like you were about to kill someone." Sassi said as she handed Harmony's bag to her. The large group had just landed in Belfast and were irritating the other travelers as they all waited in line at the same time for their bags.

"Trust me, Sass. You do not want to know most of it. It was an irritating flight." Harmony answered, sounding annoyed and exhausted.

At that point, Sassi decided it was probably a good idea not to mention that she and the other girls flew first class...

 

(The Night Before, Virgin America Airlines, Flight 1976, LAS to JFK)

"Gin!" Harmony said excitedy. "Ha! In yo face! In! Yo-face!"

Yazoo rolled his eyes at her exuberance. "I was going easy on you."

This time it was Harmony that rolled her eyes. "Oh whatever, you just don't like the fact that there are some things I can do better than you!" 

"Well, you are better at confusing Kadaj... feminine emotions and all..." Yazoo snarked.

"Hey! Its not my fault your brother is sentimentally retarded!" Harmony defended.

"I resent that!" Kadaj piped from the seat behind her.

"Can it, crazy!"

"Make me."

Yazoo watched the exchange, barely able to hide his smile. Though he knew that there were still problems that Harmony and Kadaj needed to work out, it was good to see them back to 'normal'.

"Miss, please, the other passengers are complaining about the noise," one of the flight attendants said, peaking around Harmony's seat. "This is the fourth complaint. Please keep it down?"

"I'm so sorry, Ma'am. It won't happen again." Harmony said, shooting Yazoo a glare and tossing another over her shoulder at Kadaj.

"See that is doesn't."

Harmony sighed as the woman walked away. She had known that traveling in a public setting was going to be rough, but had expected the problem to be Reno, not her own inability to put up with Yazoo's teasing.

She glanced at her watch and sighed again. 'Four hours to go. God give me strength. No! Don't! Don't give me strength, I'll kill someone!'

*End Flashback*

"What's the point in taking a private jet if you still have to fight your way through the airport?" Rufus grouched.

"Well sor-ry, Mr. I'm-the-president-of-the-baddest-company-ever-and-you-better-get-the-hell-out-of-my-way!" Harmony snapped. "News flash! Everyone is tired, everyone is irritated. Get. Over. It. And. Shut. Up." 

Rufus' face turned a dark shade of red as he struggled with his anger at the small woman's insolence.

"Boss, she's right. Maybe you should just-" Reno started.

"Are you insinuating that I should tolerate this diabolical insubordination, from an individual whose mental capacity barely exceeds that of a Lima Bean?!" He snapped.

"What?!" Harmony screeched, causing several security officer's heads to turn their way.

"Uh... Hari..." Cid cut in, "Maybe we shouldn't get their attention... I don't wanna..."

Harmony's anger almost immediately lifted as she recalled the reason for Cid's wariness of Airport Security.

(Earlier That Morning, JFK Baggage Claim)

"Okay, everyone got their bags?" Cloud asked, giving Harmony a much needed moment to attempt a strangle-hold on her irritation.

"Yep. Now all we gotta do is go get Cid. They said we could pick 'im up here, right?" Barrett asked.

"Yeah. I think it's this way." Cloud said, following the signs leading them to the Security desk. "Hi, I'm looking for my-" He started before a loud crash came from one of the nearby rooms.

"Hey! What are you... Don't touch me there! Get your...AH!" Came Cid's voice through the door. After what sounded like a small scuffle, the room went quiet, Cid emerging red-faced and limping a few moments later.

"Are you okay, Cid?" Harmony asked, feeling concerned for his health is a positive way for the first time that day.

"No I am not okay!" He pulled her aside and pointed an accusing finger at the imposing form of a security officer. "One of them stuck his finger in my ass!"

Harmony blinked owlishly. "...Did you like it?"

"Well, actually... wait! No! No I did not like it!"

Reno gave Cid a sly look and moved in closer to Cid. "Fascinating!" He said.

"Don't go getting any idea's, Turkey!" Cid barked, backing away slowly.

Reno chuckled and said in what he must have thought was a seductive tone, "Gobble, gobble..."

"N-no... g'it away! I'll fuck you up, Turk, 'swear to God!" Cid said, pulling Harmony in front of him.

"Its okay." Reno said with a smile. "You're embarrassed, I understand."

"If you don't shut up, Reno, I'll fry you right here and now, even in front of all these people!" Harmony hissed. "Get the hell over there. We have to meet Sassi at the Bar here."

End Flashback

The group loaded into two seperate shuttle vans, Sassi giving each directions before hopping up front in the leading van.

'That was an interesting flight.' She though to herself. Letting one of Harmony's accidentally stolen memories flash before her eyes, she let out a sigh that could have been a chuckle.

(The Night Before, Virgin America Airlines, Flight 1976, LAS to JFK)

 

"Yazoo, trade me." Kadaj demanded as he stood next to Yazoo's seat.

"Why should I?" The middle Remnant shot back.

"Loz is bugging me! He saw a women go into the bathroom, and then a man went in before the woman came out. I explained what was probably going on, and now he won't shut up!"

Yazoo hissed and stood, allowing Kadaj to take his place. "What are you, an idiot? You know how curious he gets! Now he's going to want to try it!"

Harmony was cackling maniacally at the two.

"What's so funny?" Kadaj snapped.

"Oooh, Kadaj! Sassi's gonna kill yooooou! Just who do you think he's gonna want to try it with?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh shit." Kadaj pouted.

!@#$%^&*()

"Sassi? Are you okay?" Aerith asked as the redhead shuddered.

"Yeah... I feel a disturbance in the force... something has happened that I'm not going to like..."

!@#$%^&*()

"What is he doing?!" Harmony hissed as she spotted Loz sitting in a vacant seat next to a couple that had just come out of the bathroom.

The Remnant had a pen and was furiously scribbling on the back of the emergency pamphlet.

"Uh-huh... and how do you work that position in such a small space? Oh I see! Genius! Okay... now... What, in your opinion, it the best position for foreplay? Oh, no foreplay? Well, I get it, but isn't the risk of getting caught part of the excitement? Oh I see. Now let's back up a bit. What is this con-dom you speak of and is it really safe to flush it? Is it some kind of ritual before sex?"

"Oh. My. God." Harmony and Kadaj said in unison as they caught bits and pieces of the conversation.

Kadaj stood and made a bee-line for his brother. "Loz, get over here!"

Loz looked over his shoulder and smiled impishly. "Coming!" He turned back to the giggling couple he'd been interviewing. "Thank you for your time, folks. I'll be sure to remember this con-dom." he said loudly.

Harmony gasped in mortification and Kadaj grabbed Loz's arm, yanking him away with enough force to nearly dislocate his shoulder. When they got back to their seats, Kadaj forced Loz into the seat between him and Harmony.

"Look at this! Do you think its enough to convince Sassi to-" He started, waving the pamphlet in Harmony's face before the woman snatched it and tore it to into pieces.

"Hey! I need that!" He said.

"Not unless you want to die!" Harmony snapped back.

"She wouldn't kill me!"

"You're right. She's not merciful enough for that. She'd just make sure you're not equipped to ever try any of those things!"

Loz winced and unabashedly cupped his loins. "You really think she would?"

"I don't know," Harmony sassed, thinking her sarcasm would discourage the Remnant. "why don't you ask her and find out?"

A mischevious gleam appeared in Loz's eyes and Kadaj gasped, flinging himself over his brother to grasp Harmony's arms and force her to look at him.

In the most dramatic voice she'd ever heard the youngest Remnant use, he wailed his question right into her face. 

"What have you done?!"

End Flashback

Well, Loz had certainly boarded the flight to Belfast with some... interesting new ideas... and though Harmony was sure that Sassi would be opposed, the redhead was actually curious and a bit excited to help Loz investigate this new area of intimacy.

Sassi shook her head, unwilling to let those thoughts through until she was behind locked doors, where no one could question her blush. Instead she focused on another memory, of the flight with just the girls to New York.

 

(Virgin America Flight 2679, SEA to JFK)

"This is nice." Tifa said, leaning back in her chair. "Free drinks and everything! And for once, I don't have to make it myself!"

"Yeah it is nice," Cissnei agreed. "I wonder how the guys are doing?" Though in truth, she was really only thinking about one of them. The middle Remnant had caught her attention from the first night she met him. He'd done a spectacular job taking her mind off of Zack, at first... but in the few days they had been around eachother she just knew there was more to him than what her fellow Turks had told her.

"Ha, fat chance they're having as great a time as we are!" Sassi said, interrupting Cissnei's thoughts.

"What makes you say that?" Aerith asked from the row in front of her.

"Do you really think I dished out the money for everyone to fly First Class?"

Her fellow travelers' eyes widened, and then the shocked silence was broken by Yuffie giggling madly.

"P-p-p-p-poor Harmony!"

Sassi snorted. "Poor indeed. This is payback. Remind me to tell you about prop planes, and pilot friends that cut the engine a million miles in the air... at Harmony's request."

"Never figured you for a vindictive one." Elena said with a sigh as she sank back into her seat.

"Heh, just don't do anything that would require vindication."

End Flashback

Sassi winced. Yeah, after the way Harmony looked when they met up in New York, she definately shouldn't say anything about her luxurious first-class trip.

After nearly an hour of silence, everyone in the two seperate groiups praying that the trip would just be over already, Sassi let out a gasp as the shuttle driver cursed and slammed on his brakes.

The large, antique metal gate surrounding the Flint Family Estate was blocked by several Gardai.

"How... how did they know? They couldn't have... not that fast!" Sassi whimpered. Just as she thought they were doomed, she spotted an all-too-familiar face in the crowd.

Then she smiled.

!@#$%^&*()

"Who is that?" Angeal asked Harmony from the second shuttle. The look on the woman's face had him concerned, as well as the rest of them, he was sure.

"Its the Garda. Irish Police Force." She said simply, not taking her eyes off of Sassi's silouette in the van ahead of them.

"Sassafrass Flint and Lilith Maddox, step out of the vehicles, please." Came the call of one officer.

"Who is Lilith Maddox?" Kadaj asked, looking at his lover.

Harmony closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "Me. I changed my name when I was eighteen so that I wouldn't be tied to my family anymore."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She couldn't believe it. Kadaj was choosing now of all times to get butt-hurt about something so trivial?

"Kadaj, can we talk about this later?" She said through gritted teeth as she watched Sassi slowly open the door and get out of the van ahead of her. Instantly the overwhelming urge to put herself between Sassi and the Gardai presented itself, and she was out of the van and next to her friend in under three seconds.

"Is there a problem?" Sassi said bravely.

"We have been given information from the United States Government that you are wanted criminals."

"Don't try your scare tactics on me, Mr. I know that you can't possibly have the documentation you need to arrest us. If you did, you'd have done it already."

The man frowned. "We don't want trouble on our shores, nor do we want trouble with the U.S."

And then, the face that Sassi recognized stepped up behind the man. 

"Garda Doyle, the lady is right. We can't do anything about them now." He whispered.

The man, identified as Doyle, frowned even harder.

"I don't want them here. Isn't there something I can arrest them for?"

"You could arrest them, but you know as well as i do, from the reports that the San Francisco Detectives and their informant sent us, that they are different and could get out easily. No, when we arrest them, it has to be after we get the papers to send them back, otherwise they'll escape and we'll lose them again." The man reasoned.

Doyle growled and turned to whisper to the man. "I want a watch set on them. No one inside the gates, but I want this entire parameter watched twenty-four seven. Got it?" 

The man nodded. "Understood, Sir. I'll have a word with Miss Flint and Miss Maddox and meet you back at the station."

With that, the strange man made his way to the two women, his partner standing beside their patrol car as the other Gardai got in their vehicles and lets, Doyle sending a glare at the women that could have melted the Polar Ice Caps.

"Cormac!" Sassi said, restraining herself from tackling the man before in a hug. His partner might think that a bit odd.

"I'm happy ta' see ye home, Little Bird, but ye should have been more careful. That contact of yours in Seattle wasn't as trustworthy as ye thought."

Sassi gasped. "Kelly gave us up?" 

"Yes ma'am. Sang like a bleedin' canary he did."

'So that's how...' Harmony thought to herself.

"Well, get ye'selves inside afore ye freeze. Miss Lilith, it sure is good ta meet ye, Guardian."

Harmony blanched and hurried to correct the man, only realizing after, what he had actually said.

"Its Harmony, I haven't gone by Lilith in-...what did you call me? How did you know?!"

Cormac Brennan gave the young witch a sly smile. "I'm sure yer Ma' never told ye' abou' yer Grandmam."

"My grandmother?" Harmony gasped. "She said my great-great-great grandmother was, but-" She stopped when Cormac shook his head.

"Yer Ma's a useless Heiffer. No offense. Yer Grandmam was a great woman. Best I ever knew. She and Little Bird's Grandda' were nearly inseperable, they were. Even worse after they got married."

"She was a Guardian." Harmony said, not really needing confirmation, and agreeing whole-heartedly with the insult against her mother.

"Aye," He turned to Sassi. "And Yer Grandda' was an Ancient."

Then, once again, what the man said hit both women. 

"Wait a minute... My grandmother was married to Sassi's Grandfather?"

Corman gave a wide smile and nodded.

"And Sassi's mother?"

"A result of that union. Yer' own mother was from a previous marriage, 'fore Miss Clarise knew what she was and where she needed ta be."

Sassi and Harmony turned shocked gazes to one another. "Then that means..." Sassi started.

"We're cousins..." Harmony finished. 

The last thing either woman saw were a dozen sets of feet rushing toward them as they collapsed onto the muddy road.


	35. Confessions

Chapter 35

"Harmony!" 

"Sassi!" Kadaj and Loz cried as they watched both women fall to the ground.

The three Remnants were beside them in a heartbeat, and one half-second after that, Yazoo and Zack had Cormac and his partner in strangle-holds.

"What did you do to them?" Cissnei snarled, stepping up next to Yazoo to look the stranger in the eye.

"'Ey there, missy! I did nothin'! I'm a friend! I worked for Sassafrass's grandda!" Cormac said quietly, so that his partner could not overhear. "Ye better let us go, the Gardai already been lookin' fer a reason ta' arrest ye. Assaulting an officer of the Garda is a good one!" Yazoo released the man, but kept himself close.

"What did you say that made them faint?" He asked in a low voice.

"They just figured somethin' out 'bout their lineage. Now let mah partner go, afore he decides to call fer backup."

Yazoo nodded to Zack and the man released the stranger he held.

"Its alright, Sean. Its a misunderstandin'. Let's help them get the ladies in the house, and we c'n leave peacefully." Cormac said when his partner reached for his weapon.

"Ye sure 'bout tha'? They look like they need ta go to Hospital." The man, Sean, said.

"Nah, they're just tired, and we gave 'em quite a shock. We'll take 'em in, and then start in on our orders."

"Don't bother!" Kadaj said, bitterly, "We can take care of them ourselves! Go away!"

Cormac nodded with an enlightened smile, and pulled Yazoo aside. "This is me number. Sassafrass can call me when she's up. I've already sent for the keepers ta come out."

Yazoo looked at the man as he took the card. "You really do know her?" 

"Since she was but a wee Little Bird, aye. Not seen 'er in a quite a few years, though. Her Da was a disgrace to all of Ire, he was."

Yazoo nodded again. "These keepers?"

"As loyal to the Flint Family as they come. They should come 'round in the morn. Now, get those girls inside afore they catch their death of cold!"

Loz and Kadaj hurried to do just that, as the others made their way to the shuttles, watching the Gardai leave warily as they unpacked their bags.

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi groaned as she awoke. She was freezing, and even behind her eyelids, the light was blinding. She felt a warm hand clutching her own, and heard a soft, yet utterly masculine voice whisper her name.

"Sassi? Sassi are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"I'm cold..." She managed, trying to pry her heavy eyelids open. What had happened? Why was she...

The memory hit her with the force of a hurricane and she bolted upright, clutching her head and cursing herself for the stab of pain that implanted itself in her skull at the movement.

Falling back onto the dusty couch, she tried to focus her thoughts enough to voice them. "Where...where's Harmony?"

"Kadaj put her in one of the empty rooms downstairs. She's okay... I think. What happened?" Loz asked, slipping an arm under Sassi. He gently lifted her toward him, stuffing a couple of pillows behind her back and letting her rest against them.

"Cormac... He told us something that... I just can't believe it... All this time. I wonder if my mother even knew?" Sassi said, more to herself.

"Knew what?"

Sassi continued as though she hadn't heard him. "What am I saying, of course she knew... Why did I never think of it? Of course she'd be Cetran! But... did they know about Hari's mother? Did Grandfather even tell her? And why would they let her marry... that man...?"

Loz stood slowly during Sassi's musings. 'I think I need to try to get Harmony in here...'

!@#$%^&*()

'Oowwwww!' Was the thought that rang loudly through Harmony's head as consciousness returned to her. She groaned and tried to roll to her side, letting out another sound of irritation and pain as she rolled into something hard. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring at gray material. Blinking in confusion, she followed the material up a deceptively broad chest and further until yellow green eyes met hers. As her senses reluctantly kicked into gear, she recognized the eyes as Kadaj's, and realized that she lay across his lap on a dusty bed.

"Are you okay?" Kadaj said quietly, reaching up and running his hand through her hair.

"Yeah," Harmony started, "what hap-OH GOD!" She cried. She bolted off of his lap as she remembered the conversation that had caused her to faint... and instantly regretted it as she felt her forehead connect with Kadaj's chin.

"Ow! Damnit, will you sit still?!" Kadaj growled, taking her shoulders and forcing her back onto his lap.

"I'm sorry! I just... I remembered what that guy said." Harmony said, rubbing the sore spot on her forehead.

"And what was that?" Kadaj asked, using his hand to roll his jaw before letting it fall to run his fingers through her hair again.

"Sassi's my cousin."

Kadaj stopped his motions. "...What?"

"Sassi's... my cousin!" Harmony whispered. Kadaj could tell that she was close to breaking down. He sat her up, turning her around and forcing her to straddle him.

"Hey." He grasped her shoulders and shook her when she ignored him. "Hey!" She finally looked at him, her eyes glazed. He cupped her jaw in his hands and forced her to look him in the eye. "Its okay. Just calm down. You'd think you'd know by now that freaking out doesn't solve anything. Just relax, and tell me what happened. Sassi's your cousin?"

Harmony took a deep breath and leaned forward, touching her forehead to Kadaj's. "The man... He said that my Grandmother was a Guardian, too. He said that she was married to Sassi's Grandfather, but it was her second marriage. My mother came from a previous marriage, before she knew that she was a Guardian. Sassi's mother came from the second... We're cousins. Cousins! That explains even more about our relationship. I've always felt close to her..." She trailed off when she heard Kadaj sigh.

Sitting up, she took in his expression. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were tightly closed, and Harmony could tell that he was struggling to get a grip on his jealousy.

"Kadaj." She said in a flat tone.

"What?" He ground out.

"Look at me." He refused, and she repeated the order until he complied. "I want you to listen to me, and listen good." She waited for his nod before continuing. "I want you to know this. It might make you mad, but I need you to understand. Just because I love Sassi, doesn't mean I love you any less, I-" She cut herself off, eyes wide as she realized what she just said. when her sight focised again, she saw kadaj staring at her, his expression mirroring her own.

"You... you love me?" He choked out.

"I... I... Oh hell." Harmony said, covering her face with her palms.

"Answer me!" Kadaj said more forcefully that he intended.

"Yes."

Silence festered for what seemed like hours as Harmony waited for Kadaj to react. Her heart was pounding with fear and hope. The fear was winning, as the Remnant said nothing. Just stared at her, his expression unreadable. 

"I'm sorry," Harmony said, moving back and attempting to get off of him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

Quicker than she had ever seen him move, Kadaj's hands shot out, grabbing her wrists and forcing her to stay where she was. Harmony looked down, unable to meet his eyes.

"I don't expect anything from you, Kadaj. I fought this for so long... you don't have to say-"

He cut her off again by pulling her into a bone crushing hug. She sat still in his embrace, confused at his show of emotion, and his own apparent confusion.

"Kadaj?"

"Thank you." Was all he said.

But it was all he needed to say.

!@#$%^&*()

Loz couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he listened through the door to the room Kadaj had claimed. Looking to his younger brother, he saw that Yazoo was in the same state.

"Its about time." Yazoo whispered. "Come on, leave them alone. We can calm Sassi down ourselves."

They didn't need to. When they entered the room that Sassi had been taken to, she wasn't on the couch where Loz had left her.

"Sassi?" Yazoo called out before Loz could panic.

"I'm out here." Came a quiet call from outside the large double-doors of the balcony.

"Are you okay now?" Loz asked anxiously. 

"Yes. Sorry I freaked out. Its... its a lot to take in." Sassi said, turning as the two Remnants joined her in the crisp night air.

"Its okay, I was just worried about you. Do you want to talk about it now?" Loz said, picking up the blanket that had been haphazardly thrown across the rail and draping it over the redhead's shoulders.

"Well... I guess there were some things that either my mother didn't know... or neglected to tell me." She started.

"Such as?" Yazoo prodded.

"Heh. Such as: Harmony is my cousin." She nodded at Yazoo's shocked look. Loz had already gathered as much, she knew. "Yeah. I guess her Grandmother was a Guardian, too. Hari's mom was from her first marriage... and my own mother was from her second... when she found out that she was a Guardian, and my Grandfather was the Cetra she was supposed to protect."

"How do you know this?" Yazoo asked.

"Cormac told me. He's worked for the Flint family for as long as I can remember. Even after my father forced us to move to the States, Cormac always tried to send me birthday presents. I remember my parent's arguing about it. My mother defending the man she knew as her brother, and my father insisting that she cut all ties with him, because he's not biologically related. Not that blood mattered to him." At Yazoo and Loz's confused stares, she sighed and continued. "Grandfather found out shortly after my mother was born that the likelyhood of his fathering more children was non-existent. So when Cormac started working for them from a program through his orphanage, they adopted him. He's my uncle, guys."

She paused and glared when she caught Loz's sheepish look, and almost choked on her tongue when the look was shared my Yazoo.

"What did you do?!" She asked, stepping closer. Loz backed up a step.

"Well... we thought he hurt you... so I grabbed him. I let him go!" Yazoo said quickly when Sassi's eyes flashed angrily. "We didn't know!" He wasn't really afraid of her... but he had to admit, after seeing what happened to Kadaj, and hearing about her projections from Loz, he did not want to be on the receiving end of the small woman's anger.

Sassi's shoulders sagged, much to the middle Remnant's relief. "Okay. Understandable."

"Yazoo?" Came a call from the hallway. "Yazoo, are you in there?"

"Coming, Cissnei." Yazoo said with a small smile. He caught Sassi's curiously amused look and fought the blush threatening to spread across his cheeks.

"She's taken quite a liking to you, hasn't she? Is it returned?" Sassi asked.

"I... She's... different. She doesn't seem to care that I used to be a bad guy. She doesn't look at me or my brothers with the same distrust that the others do. I... I think I might like her a little. I'm just worried that when she finds out about what I did to Tseng and Elena, she'll treat me like the rest of them do." Yazoo blurted, and then immediately cursed himself. What was it about Harmony and Sassi that made him want to pour his heart out to them at every opportunity?!

Sassi only smiled. "Yazoo, I've spent a lot of time with her, after I found them in the forest behind my house. I don't think her opinion would hcange that easily. Just be honest with her. Hiding it will only make it worse. Harmony showed me everything that happened before I went to the cabin. If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Its obvious that you're not like that anymore. When was the last time you even thought about Jenova, other than rushing to get to Kadaj when she took over his mind a couple of days ago?"

Yazoo and Loz shared an enlightened look. "Not since... well, not since Hari took us to the cabin."

Sassi smiled. "You see? Nothing to worry about. Now go, I think she's getting impatient." Sassi chuckled upon hearing Cissnei's heaved sigh from the doorway to her room.

Yazoo said nothing, just smiled and nodded to her before briskly making his way back inside.

"Sorry it took me so long, I was talking to Sassi. Can we... Can we go somewhere? I want to talk to you... in private." They heard him say.

Sassi could almost hear the blush in Cissnei's voice as the auburn haired woman answered. "Yeah... I'd like that."

Loz chuckled as he heard the door close and the two making their way down the hall.

"So." Sassi said, unsure of what to say to Loz now that they were alone. Suddenly, without Yazoo there, the memory of the flight from New York was inching its way to the front of her mind.

"So." Loz echoed. He was a little nervous about being alone with Sassi. They hadn't really had a chance to talk about what happened before they left the cabin. Even when he dragged her into the plane's bathroom, that was a spur of the moment thing. He wasn't sure if they were okay. Hell, he wasn't even sure if they were even 'they' at all. Was he supposed to like, ask her or something?

Sassi watched the expression on the eldest Remnant's face. He looked worried. Reluctantly, as she still wasn't used to being able to touch people, she raised her hand and dragged a naked finger down his cheek. Anxiety washed over her senses as the Remnant's emotions flooded her body.

"What's wrong?" She asked, stepping closer and cupping his cheek.

"Im... I just... I'm sorry. About... pushing you to talk about your father."

Sassi swallowed thickly. She wasn't expecting that. "Its okay." She said after a minute. "Those are just... painful memories. Even Hari... only knows the basics."

"I know... I could feel everything. When you showed me what happened... it felt like I was you." Loz hoped his explanation made sense.

Sassi nodded. "I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have done it. I could have really hurt you."

"I know you're scared." Loz said suddenly. Sassi's eyes went wide.

"Wha-"

"Just listen. I know you're afraid that you'll hurt me with your power. But we've already figured out that your powers don't work the same way on us." Loz reasoned, taking her bare hands and willing her to feel every emotion inside him. The fear of her rejection, the hope for her acceptance, the adoration he had for her, and the true respect for not only her power, but her as well.

"Loz, I-"

He cut her off again. "Please, Sassi. Let me worry about me. Let me make this decision."

"But what if I do hurt you?" She said in a small voice, a voice that reminded him of a frightened child.

"You won't. I know you won't. Can I tell you what I think about it?" At her nod, he continued. "I think that what happened to your mother was an accident. A tragic accident. You were a kid! How were you supposed to know the level of control you'd need? Especially because they never told you. How could you possibly understand what the consequences could be? And your father, well, as much as he deserved it, and as much as you may have wanted to hurt him, you didn't know that he would react that way. Yes, it was something that maybe you should have considered, but that doesn't change the fact that you didn't mean to hurt them."

Sassi choked back the tears that threatened to fall. "Loz, I..." She trailed off, not sure what to say to the Remnant. Smiling, eyes misty, she pulled her hands from his grasp and wrapped them around his waist. Leaning in, she snuggled her face into his warm chest. "Thank you." She said.

Loz pushed her away from him with a smile. "How about I make you feel better, huh?" He gave her a sly look as he pulled her back inside the room.

"What did you have in- oh..." Sassi said with a smirk as Loz pushed her down onto the bed. A wicked idea flickered through her mind. A wonderfully, brilliantly wicked idea.

"Loz?" She asked as he was leaning in for what was sure to be a soul-melting kiss.

"Hm?" He grunted.

"I... I want to try something. I want to show you a... memory... but if it gets to be too much you need to know how to kick me out of your head."

Loz nodded, showing that he was interested, and listening.

"All you have to do is seperate me, from you. Make the distinction that the memory isn't yours, its mine, and I'll be able to feel it when you do. I'll know to pull back."

"Okay." Loz said. He didn't care what Sassi did. He knew that her power couldn't hurt him. She didn't want it to, and somehow, he knew that she could control it. "Do it."

Sassi took a deep breath and steeled herself. Then, carefully, she placed her hands on the Remnant's chest, gently pushing until she could feel her consciouness enter his own.

(Flashback, Private Jet, JFK to Belfast)

Sassi stared after the stewardess. The uniformed women paused a few rows ahead, looked over her shoulder and winked conspiratorially. When Sassi noticed the very blond head occupying that row she smiled slightly. She turned her attention to the tiny square of paper which was delivered with her drink. 

"I found out some information that could help us," was written in a very slanted cursive. Loz stood, stretched slightly, and headed for the lavatory. Sassi, let her curiosity take over, one of her many faults, and careful not to wake her sleeping companion on the isle seat, followed. Loz was leaning against one of the bathroom doors, apparently waiting his turn. His eyes glowed in the near darkness of the plane, fixed on the advancing redhead.

Sassi leaned in to whisper a string of questions but let out a muffled 'eep' as Loz snatched her to his chest. He swiftly unlatched the door behind him and took a few steps backward, closing the door smoothly before anyone noticed anything amiss. Sassi managed to free her face an gasped in a breathe as the lock clicked into place. 

"Loz! What in seven hells is all the secrecy about?" she demanded. 

"This," he bent his head and caught her mouth mid protest. Sassi quite forgot all speech as she was thoroughly kissed. Her arms snaked around his neck as large hands gripped her waist. Loz angled back slightly, lifting Sassi enough she had no option but to cling to her remnant or fall. Loz nipped just below her ear causing her nails to dig into his shoulders. With a detached feeling, Sassi marveled at the speed she could lose herself in Loz's arms. She could feel her Jean skirt inching up. Loz was fascinated by the silky panties he found. Rubbing her ass through the fabric, squeezing and kneading her flesh. Sassi softly moaned into his throat. 

She began to fumble at his fly, "Like that already is it?" Loz chuckled to himself. Wrapping a long arm around her middle he decided to help her eager fingers. He barely had the zipper down when he felt a firm grip on his naked skin. He inhaled sharply as Sassi's hand expertly handled him. He lifted one of her slim legs, hooking it on his elbow. His other hand toyed with her now exposed sensitive area through those wonderful silk panties. It wasn't long before Sassi began to whimper. Loz quickly stifled the sound with his mouth. He ached to lose himself in her, but a thought occurred to him. How could he forget to take her underwear off?! As if reading his mind, Sassi reached under her and lifted the edge of fabric to the side. Loz nearly whooped when he realized what she did. 

He wasted no more time, knowing they had to hurry. He set a bouncing rhythm and lifted Sassi's other leg. He found gravity to be his best friend as each thrust shoved him deeper than ever. Sassi was growing tense, her orgasm building, she tilted her head back and bit her lip to stop from crying out. She shuddered and held on tightly. She leaned her forehead against his as she felt his release inside her. Sassi opened her eyes in the stillness that followed, her vision filled with those piercing alien eyes. She saw raw emotion, unfiltered, and knew a moment of trepidation. Loz set her, putting his clothes to rights. 

With a disarming grin he whispered, "I was told we need to leave separately. Wait a few minutes before coming out." He planted a soft kiss on her swollen lips and worked his way out. 

Sassi started straightening her skirt thinking to herself, he's got it bad! She looked at her reflection and realized his parting words. He was told?!

(End Flashback)

Sassi carefully pulled herself from Loz's mind, tensing and then nearly melting when she felt the hard heat at her hip.

'I am so glad I was watching the mirror the whole time!' Was the only thing she had time to thing before Loz's lips crashed down onto hers with nearly violent force. He pulled away, leaving them both gasping for breath, and leaving Sassi lips feeling bruised.

"Baby Girl," He panted, "You can waltz right into my head any time you want!"

Sassi barely had time to chuckle before his lips were on hers again, and she felt his hand snaking its way down her torso.


	36. Requited?

Chapter 36

Harmony stayed still in Kadaj's embrace for a long while, her only movement being to wrap her arms around him and return his near-painful embrace. After a while though, it changed from near-painful, to near-excruciating. 

"Kadaj, you're crushing me. I can't breathe." She managed. He relaxed his grip immediately, moving to lay down on the dusty bed spread, arranging Harmony so that she lay atop him.

"What are you thinking?" Harmony asked, lifting her hand and twirling a lock of his hair between her fingers.

"That I don't deserve this." Kadaj answered honestly.

"Don't deserve what? to be loved?" At his nod, Harmony gave a sad smile. He really was broken. "Kadaj, everybody deserves to be loved. You feel regret for the things you've done, right?" He nodded again. "Then you deserve this. And I'll decide who is worthy of my love, thank you very much!"

Kadaj smiled. "You're amazing."

Not the words she wanted to hear, but it was a start. He stole her attention again when he lifted her to meet his eyes. For a moment he only stared, searching for something, it seemed. Then he lifted his head and kissed her. Harmony nearly swooned at the difference in this kiss. Unlike their previous encounters, this kiss was soft, searching, aching. 

She pulled away and squirmed around until she was comfortably straddling his form, listening with dark joy to the moan he emitted at her movement.

"Be careful." He warned. "Don't start something you don't intend to finish."

Feeling empowered by the state she had him in, Harmony grasped the Remnant's wrists, lifting them until she had his hands pinned to the mattress above his head. Knowing that he allowed this, that he could easily break her hold at any time, sent a warm thrill through her. She leaned down slowly, letting the anticipation build until her lips were no more than a breath away from his.

"I love you." She whispered, and then she sealed their lips together.

Kadaj's fists clenched at her second admission, and he fought the desire to roll over and pin her beneath him. She needed to have control tonight. He wanted her to make the first move, to go at her own pace. After hearing that she loved him, he refused to let her past experience rear its ugly head and ruin the moment.

Harmony didn't stay at his lips for long. Slowly, she gathered her courage and trailed her mouth from his lips and up his jaw line to his ear. She swirled her tongue just below his earlobe, and then gently down the side of his neck.

Kadaj sighed under her ministrations. There was definitely a reward for patience. He applied slight resistance against the hands holding his wrists captive and she released him, allowing him to thread his fingers through her hair, and then run his hands down the length of her back to cup her ass. He pulled her against him as he rolled his hips, letting her feel the beginnings of his desire and delighting in the soft moan that rushed across his neck.

Pulling away from him, she sat up, sliding her hands down and letting her fingers catch in the hem of his shirt. Slowly, she pulled the material off of his body, Kadaj sitting up slightly to make it easier for her. 

"God, you're so hot..." she whispered, then flushed as she realized that her thoughts had actually been vocalized.

Kadaj smirked, and then mirrored her actions, grasping her shirt and lifting it over her head. He bit back a groan at the discovery that she wore no bra underneath.

"Fuck..." He hissed, cupping her breasts and giving a firm squeeze. Harmony gasped.

"Oh God!" 

He pulled his hands away, smirking at Harmony's disappointed whine. "Kadaj."

"What?" Harmony said, confused.

"God isn't doing this to you. I am. Kadaj. Say it." He said, wrapping his fingers around her waist and pulling her against his groin once again.

"Kadaj!" Harmony mewled.

"That's right." He whispered with a sly smile.

With that, Harmony fell to him, attacking his chest with lips, tongue, and teeth. He hissed as her teeth caught on his flat nipple, squirming when she blew across it and then covered it with her hot mouth.

Slowly, she licked, sucked, and nipped down his torso, stopping at the point where skin met fabric. Boldly, hands shaking, she let go the button and pulled the zipper down one tooth at a time. She looked up to find Kadaj watching her, his gaze intense.

"Lift your hips." She whispered. He did as he was told and in one quick movement, she had removed his pants along with his boxers and now stared at his length. Glancing up at him again, she licked her suddenly dry lips, watching his eyes close and his mouth open with a moan.

Swallowing her reluctance, she leaned down and flicked her tongue across the head of his erection, smiling a bit when he flinched and his hands fisted in the bedspread. She blew across the tip and flicked again, and Kadaj let out a whine of frustration.

'Don't move!' He told himself. 'Don't move, don't move, don't move!'

Seeing his inner battle, Harmony took pity on him and in one move, engulfed him as far as she could.

"Harmony!" Kadaj shouted. His hands instantly left the sheets to fist in her hair, not pushing, but applying just enough pressure that she knew what he wanted.

Swallowing and earning herself another pleasure-filled moan, and began bobbing her head, swirling her tongue on the way down, and applying light suction as she pulled back.

"Oh gods..." Kadaj panted. He let out a desperate cry and then smirked when she pulled away.

"Who?" She asked sweetly, turning his own game back on him.

"Harmony..." He drawled, making sure to force as much of the lust he was feeling as possible into that one word. That lust magnified by what felt like a thousand when he saw the shiver run down her spine. He lunged for her, listening to her cry of surprise as he rolled her beneath him. He wasted no time pulling her shorts and panties from her body, tossing them over his shoulder.

He braced his hands on either side of her head and leaned in for a spine-tingling kiss, leaving Harmony feeling as though he had sucked the breath right out of her as he pulled away and trailed kisses down her throat. He lavished her breasts with attention, first kissing the underside and tweaking her nipples before taking one of the hard buds into his mouth.

He moaned against her and the sound sent vibrations racing through her, making her arch into him.

"Kadaj!"

The Remnant smiled and switched to the neglected breast, giving it the same treatment before nuzzling into the valley between them and making his way lower. He smirked as Harmony's breath quickened and she began to shiver upon realizing his destination. Sitting back, he hooked his arms under her knees, spreading her legs apart to look at the pink, slick flesh between them. He slid his body lower, his gaze commanding Harmony to keep eye contact even as he leaned down and ran his tongue up her slit.

Her breath left her with a shuddering moan and she fought to keep his gaze when he closed his mouth over the little bundle of nerves above her entrance.

"Kadaj..." She panted his name over and over again while his tongue swirled around her clit. unwinding his arms from under ler legs, he ran one hand up her thigh, spreading her and slipping two fingers inside. His other hand pressed down on her abdomen, keeping her from bucking as she let out another loud cry. He started slow, his pace languid and maddening until his fingers hit a rough patch inside of her, eliciting a sharp cry from the young witch.

"There it is." He said with a smirk before taking her clit into his mouth and giving a hard pull.

"Kadaj!" She all but screamed. He quickened his pace. His fingers pistoned relentlessly as his other hand pressed harder on her abdomen, forcing harder stimulation against that magical spot inside her. He felt her thighs shaking, closing in tighter around his head, and he forced his hand to move harder inside her. The hot silk walls surrounding his fingers tightened, acting as a vice as she climbed closer and closer to climax.

He knew the moment it washed over her. Her eyes left his, head tossed back and mouth opening in a deafening cry.

"Kadaj! Oh! I love you!" Harmony screamed as her orgasm crashed into her. Her hands dove into his hair and held him against her as she rode out the waves of pleasure consuming her.

Kadaj moaned as he heard her declare her love for him again, his fingers not stopping their merciless pounding of the spot inside her.

"Stop!" She whimpered. "Stop, please! I can't... I can't take it!"

He ignored her, still thrusting until she was thrown into another violent orgasm. This time he backed off, sitting up and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and staring into her nearly glowing eyes.

"That was... wow..." She panted as he lay down beside her.

He smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." He leaned over her and sealed his lips to hers, his tongue pushing into her mouth and forcing her own taste onto her tongue.

Harmony moaned and pushed him away. "I believe I was in the middle of something... but I can't remember what it was." She teased.

Kadaj raised an elegant eyebrow. "Oh? Perhaps I should remind you." He took her hand and pressed it to his chest, pushing it down until she was grasping his erection with is own hand wrapped tightly around hers.

"That's right, how silly of me to forget." She chuckled. Rolling over, and turned her body until she straddled his chest, giving him a perfect view of her still-swollen and glistening folds as she leaned down to engulf him yet again.

"Oh Shiva that's hot!" He whimpered.

This time he didn't stop her as she worked over him. Her tongue swirled in deliciously wicked patterns across his hardened flesh, cheeks hollowing to apply constant suction.

He lost control of his reaction for a moment and buck against her, hard. He froze, grasping the blanket again and dearly hoping that he hadn't scared her. He sighed in relief and moaned again when she swallowed around him.

Harmony felt him thrust up into her mouth and closed her eyes at the flash of memory that assaulted her.

'No!' She thought. 'Not this time!' Yet the memory continued to take over, given more strength when Kadaj released his grip on the blanket and wrapped his arms around her hips in a tight grip. She opened her eyes, pulling away to pant for breath before giving a determined growl (a sound that hopelessly aroused the Remnant) and swallowing Kadaj's length again.

'I am not there anymore! Its just a memory! This is Kadaj. Its Kadaj, and I love him!' She screamed internally, letting out a sound of joy when the memory immediately vanished, leaving behind only a writhing Remnant in her grasp. The sound sent vibrations through Kadaj's erection that had him crying out her name, and she shuddered when she felt his tongue once again tracing her folds.

Reaching slightly above her, she cupped his sac in her hands, rolling and squeezing softly, before pulling off of his erection to suckle the silky soft skin in her hand.

Her reward was the feeling of his hot breath fanning across her sensitive skin followed by his slick tongue pushing inside her.

Soon, the sounds of two voices letting out muffled moans filled the room, the only other sounds being the wet sucking noises that escaped Harmony's lips.

"Harmony..." Kadaj grunted in warning, "I'm close..."

"Me too." She broke away for a split second to answer before taking him into her mouth and down her throat as far as she dared, and screaming around him when not two, but three fingers slammed into her heat as that wicked tongue lapped at her clit. One bruising thrust against her womb had her screaming with the force of her climax, the vibrations rocking the Remnant and sending him to his own. He let out a cry of concern, wanting desperately for Harmony to pull off of him, thinking that she would be disgusted with him coming in her mouth.

She surprised him by letting out one final moan, her lips continuing to pull until the last bit of his climax was drawn from his body.

She collapsed on top of him, not even having the strength to right herself.

"Fucking amazing..." Kadaj panted, avoiding looking at her heat still spread before him. He just didn't have the strength for another round.

He gave Harmony a few minutes to calm her racing heart before reaching down and pulling her around to lay next to him. He let out an irritated growl, though, and stood, lifting her conmpletely off of the bed and pulling the covers down before laying back down and settling them both beneath the warm quilts.

"I love you." She muttered again, loving how liberating it was to actually be able to say it to him.

Kadaj pulled her against him and gave a tight squeeze in reply.

They lay in silence for a long time, long enough that Kadaj's breathing had evened and Harmony thought him to be asleep. Thus, she started a bit against him when he spoke.

"How did you meet Sassi?"

Harmony leaned up on one arm and looked at him, searching for the reason for his question. She found no jealousy, just reluctant acceptance. Giving him a warm smile, she snuggled back down into his warmth.

"It was the night I reported my rape." She said.

Kadaj tensed. "You don't have to-"

"No," she said, "its okay. So. It was the night I reported my rape. She was at the police station reporting the death of her father. Before I even went inside, I could feel it. I just... I knew that there was someone in there that was special. Someone important. I know it sounds cliche, but the moment I looked at her, the moment we made contact, I knew that she was more important than my own life. Níos mó ná mo shaol féin."

Kadaj traced the spot on her back where he knew those exact words were inked into her skin. "What does that mean?"

"Its Irish. It means 'more than my own life'. Sassi has one just like it, though the design under it is different. Mine is the Aiglin Tree, or Father Tree. Her's is her family crest. Its the same as the ring she wears."

Kadaj nodded. He could feel the warmth rushing through him as that soft blue light began to cover him. Sassi was important to Harmony, and Harmony was important to him. So, no more jealousy. Harmony was a Guardian. Sassi's Guardian. That made their bond something that he could never even come close to understanding, and that wasn't Harmony's fault. It wasn't Sassi's fault. Its just the way it was.

When the blue light receded, he saw Harmony's face smiling down at him.

"I love you." She said once again. She almost felt as though she had said it too much, but once she had let it slip, it was like she just couldn't stop.

He smiled back at her and rolled to his side, tucking her head under his chin and wrapping her into his protective embrace. It wasn't long before he felt her heartbeat slow and her breathing even out as she fell asleep. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before hugging her body to his.

"I love you, too." He mouthed, not sure if he could actually say the words, yet. The last person he had said those words to had been his sister... and she had died not twenty minutes later.

If the same thing happened to Harmony...

'Jenova can have me. If I ever lost her... there would be nothing left worth saving.'

As he drifted off, it was to one final thought flittering across his mind. A memory actually, in the voice of Vincent Valentine.

'What makes this supposed devotion to her, any different from your devotion to Jenova?'


	37. Night Games

Chapter 37

"I see." Cissnei said after a long moment of silence. Yazoo had just related his past actions to the TURK, and now sat anxiously awaiting her reaction.

He waited for her to say more, but she only sat still, quietly staring out into the gardens from her perch beside him on large stone wall of the outer gate. After what seemed like a lifetime of agonizing silence, he spoke. 

"If you want me to stay away... I will accept that." He leaned away from her, his shoulders slumped.

"N-no!" Cissnei started, reaching for him. "Its was just... kind of a shock. Elena told me before... that she was tortured. But she didn't say who did it, or why. Though I should have realized that something was off... from the way she looks at you."

"I'm sorry. I really am. I told Tseng and the others... we've learned a lot since we came here. I am ashamed of who I was be-"

"Stop!" Cissnei stated sharply, causing the middle Remnant to snap his eyes to hers. "Never be ashamed of your past! We've all done things we regret! I have! The TURKS are the President's personal body guards. We specialize in reconnaissance, assassination and... interrogation. You're different, now, right?"

Yazoo nodded, his eyes wide with shock at the vehemence in the woman's voice. "I think so. I've realized that Moth-... That Jenova is wrong. I've realized that I was wrong to take my anger out on Tseng and Elena for something that they weren't even involved in. Jenova never took control of me. I could feel her there, but the choice to follow was mine." He turned to Cissnei and took her hands in his. "I swear, I am not that person anymore. I'll never hurt them again, nor anyone else unless they try to harm those that I... those that I care about. I know that I didn't do anything to you, and that Elena is the one I should apologize to, and I will. But will you forgive the person that I was?"

"No." Cissnei said. Yazoo felt his heart clench at the finality of her tone. She qualified her answer. "I won't forgive the person you were. But I will forgive the person that you are."

The Remnant felt a wide smile grace his features, and he pulled the auburn-haired woman against him in a grateful embrace.

"Thank you." He held her for just a moment longer, and then pulled away slightly. He stared at her lips, glancing at her honey-brown eyes and back a few times, trying to decide if he should place his lips against hers.

Cissnei smiled softly at his hesitation. "Just man up and kiss me, will you?"

The words had barely left her lips when Yazoo's smiling mouth was suddenly against hers, a comforting blue flash lighting up the night sky.

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi smiled and shielded her eyes as she watched from her place on the balcony. "'Atta boy." She chuckled softly.

"Who was that?" Loz asked, joining her outside. They all knew what the blue light meant. He grinned when he saw his brother and the TURK wrapped around eachother on the back wall.

"WOO-HOO! GO YAZ! GET SOME!" He hollered.

The couple tore themselves away from eachother, both nearly falling from their positions on the stone.

"Loz, I'm going to KILL you!" Yazoo shouted back, jumping off the wall and helping Cissnei down as well.

"Not if I get to him first!" Sassi joined in. She pulled her hand back and promptly smacked the back of the eldest Ramnant's head.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Loz whined.

"You couldn't just leave them alone? Shit, Loz! They were making progress!" Sassi hissed, watching Yazoo quickly zipping through the garden, his intent very clear. "He looks pissed." She said to Loz, her tone more subdued. "You should run."

"That... sounds like a very good idea. See ya later!" With that, the big man lept from the balcony and scrambled up the side of the manor.

"Jesus, what are you, a spider?" Sassi muttered, knowing he couldn't hear her. She waved at Yazoo as he jumped from the ground to the balcony, saluted her, and then followed his brother to the roof.

"Yer MOM!" Came the shout from Loz as the Remnant employed his favorite insult, learned from listening to Harmony and Sassi's banter. "Shit! No! Yazoo, don't, I'm sor-OW! Damn!" She heard scuffling, and then the rush of wind that always accompanied the Remnants when they used their unnatural speed. Giggling to herself, she waved to Cissnei when the woman passed under the balcony, and then turned and went inside, closing the doors behind her.

!@#$%^&*()

Harmony awoke to a loud crashing noise. "Zack had better not have broken my coffee pot again." She groaned as she sat up. "Oh, I'm not at the cabin. Right."

"Are you always this focused when you wake up?" A voice teased from across the room.

"Hi. What time is it?" Harmony asked as Kadaj turned from the window.

"A little after eleven. " He answered.

"Damn. I shouldn't have slept. Now I'll be up all night." Harmony yawned. "Oh well. Best unpack my things, I guess. Want some help with yours?"

"Oh, we're rooming together?" Kadaj smirked.

"Don't be a smart-ass. You know damn good and well we are." Harmony chuckled.

They spent nearly a full hour putting clothes and objects away, occasional pillowfights breaking out when Harmony would toss a shirt, or pants, or spare sheets in Kadaj's face.

"Ha! It was hilarious!" Came Zack's voice through the door.

"It was pretty funny." Angeal's voice answered.

"Both of you shut up, or I'm going to show you something funny!" Yikes, Sephiroth sounded pissed.

Harmony walked over and opened the door sticking her head out and calling out to them. "What's funny?"

The group turned back, Genesis rolling his eyes at the probable skirmish this would cause.

"Oh, hi Hari. Glad you're okay. We were just talking about the look on Seph's face when you tossed him across the meadow like he was a-"

"Shut. Up." Sephiroth growled. They ignored him.

"Ah, haha, yeah that was pretty cool." Harmony said.

"No," Kadaj piped in, appearing beside her in the doorway. "It was cool when you did it to me. Its scary that you were able to do it to him."

"Well... Yeah, he's right. It kind of is." Zack said, rubbing his chin in thought. "What do you think that was, anyway?"

"I don't know." Harmony answered flippantly, refusing to let the fear of her still-unkown powers sneak their way into her mind. "I'm just going to call it 'Guardian Mode'."

"Sounds cool." Zack agreed. Another crash from outside, followed by an irritated exclamation of pain, interrupted them.

"What is going on out there?" Angeal said.

"Loz pisse Yazoo off." Sassi said, coming down the stairs to join them. The group let out sounds of enlightenment. "So what's up?" Sassi continued, "Are you okay?" She said to Harmony.

"Yeah. I seem to be fainting a lot lately. Ugh. What about you? All right?"

"Yup. Loz and I worked some things out. I do't know why I freaked out. Its not like anything's going to change." Sassi laughed.

"I did too. But Yeah, nothing will change, so I guess its... well it is a big deal, but not important enough to panic about."

The men watched the exchange with confusion. "What are you talking about?" Genesis asked.

"Oh. Hari's my cousin." Sassi giggled when they eyes of the four that didn't already know that widened in shock. "Long story. We'll explain later. I was thinking that I want to explore the grounds. I haven't been here since I was four years old. And I thought of a way to make it fun." She grinned.

Harmony mirrored the look. "What did you have in mind?"

"Hide and Seek. In the Gardens, and the Cemetary." She answered.

"This place its own Cemetary?" Zack said. "I'm so in!"

"Me too!" Harmony agreed.

Kadaj sighed. "I guess I'll go, too."

The others nodded in agreement. "I'll go and stop Yazoo from killing Loz." Kadaj said. He leaned down to Harmony. "Stick around, the last game was fun. We should hide together." He whispered.

Harmony smiled and turned her head to whisper back. "No way, Whack-job. You want to have some fun, you gotta find me first." She smirked at the flash of amusement and lust that lit his eyes.

"I guess I'll see you then." He said, and then took off in the direction of the pained cries from outside.

"We'll see about that." Harmony chuckled.

!@#$%^&*()

"This is so creepy!" Harmony whispered to Sassi. The two were hiding together under the boughs of a huge tree. It was a tight squeeze, getting through the branches to the secluded area, and even more difficult avoiding leaving a trail.

When the whole group had been told of the plans, everyone joined in, deciding that this time, it would be the Remnants searching for everyone else. Cloud, Zack, Loz, Kadaj, and Yazoo. Vincent and Sephiroth were disqualified. That just wouldn't have been fair.

"Sh!" Sassi hushed, "I think I heard something!"

Harmony listened and sure enough, there was a rustling in the branches surrounding them.

Harmony reached her hand out, laying her bare fingers against a bare spot on Sassi's neck, and concentrating hard, focusing her thoughts as Sassi taught her to do.

'If it was one of the boys, we wouldn't hear them at all. Probably just an animal.' She sent, hoping that she had done it right, and that Sassi got the message.

Sassi jumped and scowled at the contact, and then her eyes went blank for a second. She nodded her head in agreement to Harmony's observation.

"You're right." She whispered. "We're probably fine."

"Are you sure?" Came a deep voice from the darkness in front of them, a pair of glowing eyes flickereing into sight as their visitor moved into the light.

"AH!" Harmony and Sassi screamed. Sassi recovered first.

"Loz, you-" She cut herself off, sniffing as a foul odor invaded her senses. "Good Lord, Loz! What have you been rolling in?!" Sassi choked, trying not to gag.

"Your mom..." He chuckled.

There was a moment of complete silence after Harmony gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth.

"What?" The Remnant asked.

"Oh, Loz, no..." Harmony started, but the sound of soft laughter cut her off. Sassi begain chuckling quietly, her laughter growing louder and louder with each breath until she was nearly in tears.

"What's so funny?" Loz asked.

Sassi shook her head, and Harmony stared on, shocked that her friend was taking that rather inappropriate insult so well. Sassi grabbed Loz's hand in her gloved fingers, and yanked him behind her, motioning for Harmony to follow her out of their hiding spot. 

As soon as Harmony stodd straight, she was tackled to the ground. "Wha-!" She cried as she landed on the soft grass.

"Found ya!" Kadaj said in a slightly crazy voice.

"I see that. Get the hell off me. I think you broke my ass."

Sassi giggled and left her friend to fend for herself, dragging a very confused Loz behind her.

"Where are we going?" Loz asked as they delved deeper into the misty cemetary.

"I want to show you something. You'll understand." The closer she got to her destination, the less exuberant she felt, until she was trudging along, her features solemn.

"Sassi, where are we going?" Loz tried again, as she led him into a beautifully carved stone mausoleum. "I still don't get it-" He stopped short when he followed her pointed finger and read the name on the plaque in front of him.

Miriam Moore Flint  
1969-1994  
Adoring Mother  
Beloved Wife  
Cherished Daughter  
Codladh i Síochána

 

Loz's face fell to an expression of terror. "Oh Gods, Sassi, I didn't know, I-... Is this why you were laughing?! Its not funny!"

Sassi smiled sadly. The expression turned to confusion when Loz let out a startled sound and rushed out of the building. He returned a moment later, his hands spotted with little drops of blood. Clenched in his hands were two dark pink roses from the bush outside the building. He leaned down and placed them on the floor in front of the plaque, Sassi staring on in awe. Then she smiled.

"You chose well." She said, kneeling next to him.

"What do you mean?" Loz asked, looking at her.

"Dark pink roses signify gratitude. Appreciation. Its like saying 'thank you'."

Loz smiled. "Well, I guess that's right. If not for your mother, you wouldn't be here."

Sassi blushed, and then what he said fully hit her. 

"Wait... what do you mean 'you guess'?!" She said.

"I mean I... wait, no I didn't mean it like that! Come back!" Loz cried at Sassi's retreating form.

"Jeeze." He muttered. "What did I say?"

!@#$%^&*()

"Heeeeeeere kitty kitty kitty..." Yazoo crooned. He was on Cissnei's trail near the outer fence of the garden. He knew she was close, he could smell her perfume. It was actually rather intoxicating.

"If I'm a kitty, then are you the doggy?" 

Yazoo whirled around. "How did you...?"

Cissnei grinned and held out a small glass bottle, spritzing the tip of a hedge with the contents. Instantly, the smell of pumpkin and spice filled his nostrils.

"That!" He stated, stepping toward her, "Was very clever." He ran a hand down her arm and then twirled around behind her. He began backing her toward the wall.

"I know." Cissnei smirked. Then gasped as her back hit the wall just as Yazoo's hand slammed against the stone right next to her head. She gulped. "What?"

"I was just thinking what a shame it is that I've only kissed you once." Yazoo answered, delighting in Cissnei's blush.

"Then... maybe you should do it again..." She said bashfully, lifting her gaze to stare at his lips.

The corner of Yazoo's mouth turned up in a devastatingly sexy crooked smile, and Cissnei pushed away from the wall, sealing their mouths together.

Yazoo tapped his tongue against Cissnei's bottom lip, and then pulled away. "Woof." He smirked.

"Cats and dogs don't mate." Cissnei said with a grin.

"Well in that case... meoooow."

Cissnei laughed. "You're so weird."

Yazoo only smied and claimed her lips again, this kiss turning heated when Cissnei wrapped her arms around his neck and molded herself to him. He let out a soft groan against her lips and pressed her into the stone wall at her back. Reaching down, he grasped the back of each thigh in his hands and hefted her up, bracing her against the wall and better shaping her to his body. He pulled away from her lips again.

"If you don't want this to go any further, you'd better tell me now." He said seriously.

Cissnei drew her bottom lip between her teeth and lost herself in thought for a moment. "I... I want to." Was all she said. And it proved to be all Yazoo needed to hear, as he dove to her lips again, his hands moving across her legs and pushing the skirt she wore up around her hips. Pulling away slightly, he maneuvered her just enough to slide her panites down her legs, leaving them to dangle from one ankle. Without another word, he pinned her again, his fingers going straight to the juncture of her thighs as their lips met again.

Cissnei gasped against his lips and rolled her hips against his hand, catching his bottom lip between her teeth when his fingers found that little bundle of nerves. "Wait!" She said. He paused and she could have laughed at the tortured expression on his face. "Don't worry, I'm not saying no. I'm saying... skip the foreplay... I don't want someone to see us. This is private."

Yazoo breathed a sigh of relief, and a wicked look graced his features as he brought his hand to his mouth and ran his tongue across his palm a few times. When he felt it was enough, he cupped her warmth again, rubbing his palm against her and spreading his saliva across her slit. He then back away slightly, his fingers shaking with anticipation as he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. A breath hissed between his teeth when a small hand reached past his and gripped him, stroking him to erection as his length was drawn out into the cool night air. He buried his face into Cissnei's neck and grasped her wrist in his hand.

"Are you ready?" His voice was strained.

"Are you?" Was Cissnei's answer.

His reply was to push her hands away. Aligning himself, he began to push forward, sucking in a harsh breath that joined with Cissnei's low sigh as he slid inside her to the hilt. 

Holy Knights of the Round... it had been too long.

He could barely hold himself back to keep from viciously ravaging the body pressed between himself and the rough stone.

"Shit!" Cissnei gasped when a hard thrust left her seeing stars.

Yazoo focused his attention on hitting that same spot again, ricking his hips into her with near-savage force.

"Oh, Gods," He panted against her neck. He planted his lips against her flesh, slurping and suckling at her throat until he was sure he'd left a mark.

"I can't... I can't hold out long." He warned, hoping she woudn't be disappointed. "Its been too long since I've-"

"Its okay." Cissnei breathed back, "I'm already close. Just... hold that angle... and touch me."

Yazoo groaned and thrust hard again, following her direction and snaking a hand between them to rub at her clit.

"Yes, just like that!" Cissnei whimpered, arching against him. His hips bucked furiously against her, each thrust only ending when he hit as deep as he could go. Cissnei was whimpereing, biting at her knuckles and trying to keep as quiet as she could. She had fantasized about what it might be like to be with the Remnant, to feel his strength. Now that she had it, it was almost too much and the heat in her belly was already at an almost unbearable point.

"Harder... please just a little harder..." She said, pulling his mouth from her neck and pulling him to her lips again. She bit her cheek to stop from crying out when he complied, and her world exploded. She stiffened against him before bucking wildly in his grasp, the hard stone at her back scratching at her bare shoulders.

Yazoo thought he had died when he felt her let go. He waited until the spasms inside her stopped, and then pulled his hand away, wrapping both hands around her tiny waist. He yanked her against him hard, once, twice, three times, and then he was burying his face in the hollow of her throat once more, a desperate attempt to muffle his shout of completion.

Her legs dropped to the ground to catch herself as he pulled away slightly. He still kept her caged between himself and the wall, his lips once against pressed to hers. "I'm sorry." He panted when they broke apart. "Next time, I'll make it longer. Better."

Cissnei laughed as he pulled away and tucked himself back into his pants and righted his clothing. "I hope not!" She said, bending down and fixing her panties so that she could properly puoll them up. "If you do, you might kill me!"

Yazoo smiled again. "Will you stay the night with me? I have to go and find the others. I'm still 'it', as Sassi and Hari ordered. Will you wait for me?"

"Yes." Cissnei answered without hesitation. "If you can find the room I'm staying in." With a smirk, she let a spray of the perfume she'd been hiding behind her back settle onto his shirt. "Can't follow it, now!" 

And with those words, she took off at a dead run for the manor, leaving behind her a smirking Remnant.


	38. Confirmation and Redemption

Chapter 38

'There's that feeling again.' Harmony thought as she tossed another shirt over her shoulder. She was currently rifling through Sassi's room, searching for her denim skirt that she'd let the redhead borrow. She kept finding herself distracted, a strange tinging pull nagging at her senses.

Harmony shrugged her shoulders, a physical attempt to shake the feeling, and tossed a pair of pants behind her. Standing from the pile of clothes she was nearly buried in, she made her way to her next victim- the bureau near the window.

And stopped in her tracks. On the wall beside the bureau was a large painting. A portrait of Sassi's grandfather... and her-no, their- Grandmother.

As Harmony gazed at what was an almost perfect image of herself, she felt that nagging pull again. 

'Its the picture,' She thought. 'What am I not seeing?'

"Hey, Sassi? Can you come in here a minute?" She called.

"Coming!" the redhead answered. "Hey Hari, what did yo-Oh my god what have you done to my room?!" She gasped, taing in the clothes thrown everywhere, covering her once-immaculate floor.

"Never mind that." Harmony said, waving her hand in the air. "Look at this painting. While I was looking for my skirt, I kept feeling something pulling at my attention. Then, when I looked at the painting, that feeling got a lot stronger. But I can't see anything extraordinary about it, other than the fact that I look a hell of a lot like my grandmother." She explained. 

Sassi 'hm'ed a bit and leaned in closer to inspect the piece. As she neared the painting, the bottom left hand corner began to glow a bright green.

"What is that?" Harmony asked, shocked.

"I don't know! I've never seen anything like it... It wasn't there before!" Sassi answered. "Look, its changing...Oh my God, its my..."

"Its your family crest." Harmony finished. The Guardian lifted her hand and ran her fingers across the image. Instantly, she felt as though a bolt of lightnening shot through her. With a gasp, she yanked her hand back.

"Harmony? Are you okay?" Sassi asked, laying a gloved hand on her friend's shoulder. Harmony looked at Sassi and gasped again.

Surrounding her friend was the most beautiful mist that Harmony had ever seen. It swirled in magnificent greens and whites, and blues and yellows, and colors that the young witch had no name for. At that same moment, Harmony felt a strong need overcome her. The need to protect, to be, to love.

At that same moment, the beat that had taken her body from that electrifying bolt exploded, and Harmony fell to her knees. Without so much as a whisper of a spell, or a twitch of her fingers, fire erupted from her palm.

Sassi gasped. "You didn't say a spell! Or use hand signs!" She cried.

"I know!" Harmony breathed out. Reaching out with a trembling hand, she focused on a music box on Sassi's dresser across the room. With a mere thought the box lifted from the dresser and floated into Harmony's outstretched hand.

"Touch it. Touch the mark." Harmony breathed to Sassi.

"Are you sure that's safe? I don't think that-" Sassi said, unsure.

"You know that I would never let you do it unless I knew it was safe." Harmony cut her off. "Do it. Trust me. Please!"

Sassi took a deep breath. With a rigid nod of her head, she slipped her glove from her hand, reaching out and laying her finger against the mark- a beautiful depiction of the Aiglin tree, different from Harmony's, rising up from the palm of a withered hand. 

Instantly, she felt a warmth fill her. Voices came from everywhere and nowhere, whispering of power, of peace, of life and energy.

A noise from the doorway had Harmony tearing her gaze from Sassi's now-rigid form.

"Sassi? Sassi!" Loz cried out, rushing into the room. His cry had Kadaj, Yazoo, and Sephiroth following. Though Harmony was confused as to why Sephiroth was with the Remnants, she brushed that thought aside, stepping in front of Sassi and blocking the eldest Remnant's path.

"What's going on? What's wrong with her?!" Loz shouted.

"She's fine. I can't explain it... that painting... It's special. I... I can't... Just don't touch her right now!" Harmony said.

"You're different." Sephiroth said, taking in Harmony's appearance. "What happened?"

"Like I said, I don't know. I just know that whatever it did, touching the painting... It unlocked something. Look!" With that, she raised her hand again, and before anyone could think, Kadaj's sword was drawn from his hip by an invisible source. It came to rest in Harmony's hand. 

"I didn't say a spell. I didn't think a spell. And I didn't use hand signs." She said.

The faces in the room were all twisted in shock, the eldest Remnant staring at his lover with heart-stopping anxiety.

"Sassi..."

!@#$%^&*()

'What the...where am I?' Sassi thought. One moment she was standing in her Grandparent's old room, and the next she was surrounded by white. White, and flowers, as far as she could see.

"Welcome home, Little One." Came a voice that echoed throughout the stillness.

"Huh? Who are you? Show yourself!" Sassi shouted into the white emptiness.

A soft, multitoned giggle sounded around her, and a green mist wisped into being before her.

"We are you. We are others. We are everything, and we are nothing. We are life, and we are death. We are the Lifestream, Little One, and we have finally found you."

Sassi gasped and backed away, frantically batting at the mist as it closed in and surrounded her.

"Don't be afraid, child. We mean you no harm. Too long have you been sealed away from us. Too long have you been vulnerable, without your power. Too long has it been since we spoke to our children."

Sassi stopped struggling, and the mist grew warm, settling into her skin with what felt like the embrace of a Mother.

"Your Guardian, her heart is pure, and yet veiled by saddness, veiled by guilt, and fear. She must know that she is not alone."

"You mean, there's another Guardian out there, somewhere?" Sassi asked.

"Yes. Not born a Guardian, but of great heart, and great spirit. You will know him when you see him. You have already met. He will not accept it, at first. He will fight, he will grieve. But he will answer our call."

"Who is it... wait a minute, I thought only girls were Guardians?" Sassi said, confused.

The voice laughed again, a soothing melody that calmed Sassi's confusion and fear. The meadow she stood in began to dissapate. 

"Not anymore. Now, child, awake! Awake with all the power that your blood has given you! Awake!"

Just before the mist and the meadow faded into nothingness, Sassi heard another voice speak.

"Find us where the light does not touch. We have left you our history, our power."

Sassi froze. 'I know that voice...'

"G...Grandfather?" She called out.

"We are so proud of you, éan beag(**), so very proud." Another voice echoed those words, this one a light, melodic breeze.

"Bródúil as sin an-"(**)

"Mother? Mother!"

!@#$%^&*()

"Mother!" Sassi gasped out as she fell to her knees. She was once again in her room at the Flint Manor.

"Sassi?" the redhead turned toward the voice. Harmony stood between the Remnants and herself, and instantly Sassi felt what Harmony had after she had touched the painting. A light surrounded Harmony, almost a silver glow. Sassi was immediately gifted with a powerful knowledge of strength, and trust.

"Caomhnóir.(**)" She whispered. Harmony's back went rigid and she turned to Sassi as a chill swept down her spine. "Its true." Sassi continued, looking her coven-sister in the eye. "Its all true! I'm a Cetra! You're a Guardian!"

"How do you know? What did you see?" Kadaj asked, stepping forward.

"I heard... so many voices... And a green mist... It spoke to me. It gave me power."

"The lifestream."

The group turned to find Aerith and Zack in the doorway, Harmony staring in, for the light that had surrounded Sassi, surrounded the flower-girl as well.

"Yes." Sassi confirmed. Aerith nodded with a smile.

"I thought I felt it. I knew it had to be you. I haven't felt the lifestream at all since we woke up in this world."

!@#$%^&*()

Sephiroth watched the exchange, fighting the urge to recoil from the closeness of the small Cetra. The guilt he felt, the pain at knowing that he took the life of someone to precious, the fear of her rejection. He hated the emotions she inspired in him.

'The Great Dread General, Hero of ShinRa, reduced to nothing at the sight of a mere girl.' He scoffed silently. Aerith's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hari, you're glowing." She said, her tone curious.

"Huh?" Harmony, ever articulate.

He rolled his eyes and looked over to the Guardian. His eyes then widened. "You are." He agreed.

"What are you talking about? What glow?" Kadaj asked, looking back and forth between the three.

"I see it, too." Sassi added. "I think, as Cetra, Aerith and I can see that Hari is a Guardian. But why can-" Sassi choked when she looked to Sephiroth. 

"Its not possible!" She hissed, "The Jenova cells-" A voice echoed through her mind. 'Not born a Guardian, but of great heart, and great spirit. You will know him when you see him. You have already met.'

"Redemption..." Sassi whispered.

"What was that?" Sephiroth asked. He'd heard her perfectly, he just didn't understand what she was getting at.

"What do you want out of being here? The one thing that you want the most? Don't lie to me!" Sassi said.

Sephiroth thought about not answering her, and then he caught a glimpse of Aerith out of the corner of his eye. She was glowing, too. So many swirling colors, cool, but warm at the same time. Sassi was right.

"Redemption. Forgiveness." He sighed.

"From who?" Sassi prodded.

"Aerith."

Sassi nodded and locked eyes with the flabbergasted Harmony. The two seemed to hold a silent conversation before their features steeled and they both nodded.

"Touch this." Sassi said, pointing to the mark on the painting.

"What will happen?" Sephiroth asked. No one ordered him around. He'd do it, but he'd do it because he wanted to!

"If I'm wrong, nothing. If I'm right... Well, you'll all see."

Sephiroth scowled. He did not like being handled, as he would put it. If he said no, he'd appear a coward. If he said yes, weak-willed.

'Oh hell.' He thought, stepping between the girls, 'What have I become?'

With that, he pulled his glove from his hand and lay his fingertips across the mark.

And his world flashed white.

!@#$%^&*()

"Well, that didn't take much. Really, we expected them to have to forcefully hold you down." The voice startled Sephiroth, though he was more startled by the knowledge that he seemed to be floating in a sea of white and green, and had been for some time.

"Who are you?" He barked sharply.

"We will not answer a question to which you already know the answer."

"You are the Lifestream." Sephiroth said, not needing confirmation.

"Good. Very good. You know why you have been called here."

"No."

"Yes you do."

Sephiroth racked his brain trying to find what the voice was so adamant about being there.

'Aerith and I can see Guardians.' Sassi's voice rang out. Not her exact words, of course...

But enough to knock the wind out of him.

"I am not a Guardian." He hissed. "I am a monster, created in a lab. Jenova rots within me!" 

"Yes, she does." The voice whispered back. "You, Sephiroth, have escaped the clutches of death many times over. More than once, you have floated in the abyss, never truly rejoining the Lifestream. Your sins, they trap you. And so we, the Lifestream, have given you a chance to change your fate. You have the power, power that drew us to you. You have the will, the want. You seek redemption, and we... have given that to you. Though lacking the bloodline, you've been given the power, the bond. Guide, protect, and love, Sephiroth. Love her more than your own life. Protect her as you would your own child, for that is the very reason you and Harmony exist. That is your purpose..."

Sephiroth felt a wave of dizziness rush through him as the world seemed to spin. 

!@#$%^&*()

When Sephiroth opened his eyes, he was on his back in Sassi's room, the words of the Lifestream still ringing loudly in his mind.

"That is your purpose... Guardian."


	39. Grave Information

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't posted it yet - the Irish Gaelic that I use is from Google Translate. If I have forgotten to translate something, you can find the translations there.

Chapter 39

"So what exactly did the Lifestream tell you?" Sassi asked Sephiroth.

The General sighed, having already had this conversation with Angeal not fifteen minutes ago. "They said that It is my power that drew them to me, to give me my chance at redemption."

"Do you think that... maybe... this is the Lifestream's way of ensuring that the line of Guardian's continues?" Aerith asked from behind him. He flinched, though the movement was so small, no one noticed it.

"It would appear so."

"So wait, does this mean that now every firstborn child will be a Guardian? Or will you be the only male?" Harmony asked.

"That, I don't know. I suppose we'll have to see. Perhaps every firstborn son from my line, if, and that's a very big if, I ever have children, and every firstborn daughter from your line will be Guardians."

"Maybe." Aerith agreed. The young Cetra had been sticking to Sephiroth's side for the past hour as the group searched the grounds. Sassi was intent on finding the place the spirit of her grandfather had spoken about.

Sephiroth was not comfortable with her closeness. Not. A. Bit. He still had trouble believing that the Lifestream would choose him of all people, to become the first male Guardian. Or a Guardian at all for that matter. He felt no difference in power, only a strong urge to place himself as close to Aerith as he could be. That confused him. And Sephiroth hated being confused! He was at war with himself, one side of him wanting desperately to protect the little flower girl with every bit of life and power inside of him, the other wanting nothing more than to distance himself from her, guilt pressing at him from all angles. And yet, he was... afraid... dare he say? Afraid to speak to her. To apologize for taking her life.

It was obvious with her actions, that she felt no anger or bitterness against him. She was, after all, willing to separate from Zack to group with himself and two other women, only one of them even bearing the slight possibility (he wasn't sure, they'd have to test it, now that Harmony's powers had been unleashed to their fullest potential) of protecting her from him.

"So what do you think he meant?" Harmony interrupted his thoughts. "The place the light does not touch?"

"Well, obviously, its going to be dark." Sassi quipped.

"Did you talk to Colleen?" Harmony asked, referring to the old woman that had all but thrown herself at Sassi when she and her husband, Kieran arrived at the Estate earlier that morning.

"She said that while Grandmother was always mysterious, she wasn't always willing to talk. She doesn't know. Neither does Kieran."

"Well there goes that idea." 

"Ha." Sassi said. "If she's anything like you, we won't find it easily!"

It was silent for a moment, until Harmony's now-quiet voice was heard again. "I can't believe how much I look like her."

Sassi nodded. "I see it now, and its uncanny. I can't believe I didn't make the connection. The only difference is your body type. I think if Grandmother was thinner, it would be a mirror image. I guess the only excuse I have for not seeing it, is the fact that I haven't seen my grandmother since I was four years old, when Father moved us." 

Harmony nodded. "I... I never met her. I never saw pictures. Mom didn't talk about her much. She said she was a tratior to the family, that she abandoned them. Mom's her oldest, but Grandmother's younger brother had a son just two days before I was born. Can you believe that? Two days, and I might not have been a Guardian at all!"

"I was thinking," Sassi said, "If Grandmother was a Guardian, and Grandfather was a Cetra, then Mother was both. So... Why would she, as Half-Guardian, allow someone to treat her, and her child, a Cetra, the way that Father did? Why was she so... so... broken?"

Maybe it has something to do with the conflicting powers?" Harmony guessed. "I mean, you taught me how to see into someone's mind by touch, but I can't do it nearly as well as you can. I can only go maybe a couple of hours back, at the most, and it drains a lot of my energy. My emotions control the weather. Yours don't. Maybe the two were never meant to coincide in one person?"

"But what about me? That makes me one-quarter Guardian."

"Maybe its because there's a generation between. Maybe it dilutes the Guardian blood enough that it doesn't effect you?"

"Or maybe," Aerith cut in, "Your mother's weakness was the Lifestream doing what it needed to do to make it so you and Harmony would find eachother. I know its sad, but maybe the Lifestream had to make that choice. To save our world, and yours."

Sassi and Harmony looked at her, then eachother.

"Maybe." Sassi agreed. At that moment, Sassi could have sworn she heard that multitoned voice again, whisper soft, echoing through her heart.

"We are so sorry..."

!@#$%^&*()

"I heard." Yazoo said to his younger brother as they walked through the massive gardens of the Estate.

"Heard what?" Kadaj drawled, not looking up from his search.

"I heard Harmony tell you she loves you." 

Kadaj froze. "Eavesdropping is so rude." He said flatly.

"It wasn't intentional. Loz heard it to. We were coming to get her to help with Sassi, but decided to leave you alone."

"Hn." Was the reply Yazoo got.

"Well?" He said.

"Well, what?" Kadaj asked, exasperated.

"Do you love her? Do you even like her? Or is she just a way for you to pass your time?"

"Why the hell do you even care?!" Kadaj growled.

"Because she has done much for us. She gave us a chance when she didn't have to. And she's a good person, Kadaj. She deserves someone who will treat her well. Our hell may have come in a different form than hers did, but she experienced the same amount of pain."

"Are you serious?" Kadaj deadpanned. "Are you really giving me the 'treat her right or else' talk?"

Yazoo was silent for a moment. "I guess I am."

Kadaj snorted, ducking under a low-hanging branch. "Don't worry about it, Yazoo."

Yazoo grasped Kadaj by the arm and stopped walking, forcing the youngest Remnant to stop as well. "Kadaj."

"What?" He asked. He could feel the irritation seeping in at Yazoo's line of questioning.

The middle Remnant was silent, trying to find the right words to say. "I know that in the past, the only thing that held us together was Jenova. I know that you've known Loz a lot longer than you've known me. But... Kadaj... I really do think of you as my little brother. We are bothers. Talk to me. You were waiting for me the other night, when I came back to the cabin with Cissnei. I know you were waiting for me, and if Ciss hadn't been there, you'd have stopped me. Talk to me."

Kadaj sighed. He really did want to talk to Yazoo about it... but he'd never... other than telling them about his sister, he'd never spoken about his feelings to anyone. He made up his mind.

"What is the difference between love, and obsession?" He asked. Yazoo's face fell to an expression of shock, then confusion.

"Why do you ask?"

"It was something that Valentine said. I asked him... I was confused... I asked him if being in love changes people. We spoke for a moment, and then he asked me... What makes my devotion to Harmony, different from my devotion to Jenova?"

Yazoo let out an enlightened sound and nodded his head. "Well... Its hard to explain... I think... well... Think of it this way. Would you take everything away from Harmony to bind her to you, to force her to stay, or would you give up everything to make her want to stay?"

Kadaj thought about his answer.

Yazoo tried to clarify. "For example. If Harmony didn't want to leave her world and come with us, would you force her to go, or would you give up your own world to stay with her?"

"I would... I would stay here." Kadaj said, the sentence filled with wonder, like it was something that Kadaj never expected from himself.

Yazoo smiled. "That, Little Brother, is love."

Kadaj just stared ahead, eyebrows drawn together, his expression adorably confused.

"Will you tell her?" Yazoo prodded.

"I don't know. What if... What if I tell her, and something happens? Like with Ki...Kiku?"

"What if you don't tell her, and something happens? I can't make the decision for you, but I know that I would rather have something happen and have her know that I loved her, than have something happen and have her never know."

Kadaj nodded. "Um... Thank you." He said, annoyed at how strange the words felt coming from his mouth.

Yazoo smiled softly. "You're very welcome."

!@#$%^&*()

"You are so annoying!" Loz growled at the rambunctious girl next to him. "Can't you just shut up for five godsbedamned minutes?!"

"Nope!" Yuffie chimed. "I have lots to say, and only one lifetime to say it!"

"Meteor kill me now." He whined.

"Why are we still looking, anyway? I mean, from the layout of the grounds, everything is designed to reflect light into every little dark corner of the place!"

A pink rose bush stole Loz's attention and he realized that they were at the mausoleum where Sassi's mother was buried.

"Be right back." He said, snatching a kunai from the young ninja's pouch.

"Hey, what are you-HEY! Don't do that! You'll dull the blade!" Yuffie shouted when Loz started cutting roses from the bush.

"Oh shut up. It'll be fine!" He finished and tossed the blade over his shoulder, Yuffie catching it deftly and examining the edge for imperfections.

"What are those for?" She asked. 

"Sassi showed me this. Its where her mom is buried. I just want to put some flowers by the plaque. Even though they stink. I hear girls like this stuff."

He opened the stone door and walked into the dark room, Yuffie following behind.

"Creepy." She said. "Its dark in here."

"Yeah..." Loz said, looking around, "It is... Its the only place..."

"The light doesn't touch!" Yuffie finished.

Grinning madly at eachother, they raced out of the stone monument, hollering at the tops of their lungs for Sassi to come quickly.

!@#$%^&*()

"The stone behind the plaque is hollow." Angeal said, examining the tombstone in front of the burial chambers. "Listen." He tapped the butt of Zack's sword against one piece of the stone, a solid sound ringing through the space. He then tapped higher, beside the plaque, the hollow sound proving his suspicions correct.

Zack 'Hm'ed and pulled a small dagger from his boot, placing it into one of the screw on the corner of the plaque.

"Careful!" Sassi cried, "This is my mother's tomb!"

"I will be." Zack said, reassuringly.

After a few minutes of careful turning and prying, the plaque was removed, and a wooden box was revealed nestled in the hollowed out stone.

Zack carefully removed it and passed it to Sassi, who sat down on the stone floor next to Harmony.

Opening the box, both girls felt their hearts race when they found dozens of scrolls and envelopes stacked inside.

"Shall we?" Harmony said, picking up a letter addressed to Sassi and passing it to her.

Sassi took a deep breath and nodded, carefully opening the letter and unfolding the paper within.

"Mo éan beag daor,

Má tá tú ag léamh an litir seo, tá tú ag teacht freagraí a lorg. Tá a fhios agat anois cé tú féin, leanbh, agus tá mé mar sin leithscéal ach ní féidir linn a bheith ann chun an bhean iontach agat tar éis éirí ..."


	40. A Big Decision

Chapter 40

"My dear little bird,

If you are reading this letter, you have come to seek answers. You now know who you are, baby, and I am so sorry we can not be there to see the wonderful woman you have become. There are many things that must be addressed, Little Bird, and each letter you will find in this chest will help you understand how special you are, and why we did what we did."

Sassi's voice broke on the last sentence, shuddering and sinking into Harmony's embrace before taking a deep breathe to steady herself.

"Who's it from?" Loz asked.

"My grandfather." Sassi said. She shook her head and reached for the scroll sitting on top of the box, but a hand stopped her. Surprisingly, the hand belonged to Kadaj. 

"Let go inside, where its warm, and more comfortable." He said.

She reluctantly nodded her head, not even putting up a fight when Loz lifted her bridal style and began the walk back to the manor.

!@#$%^&*()

"So let me get this straight. You can't give me the papers I need to arrest those people for another month?" Michael Wilford growled into the black phone.

"I'm sorry, sir. These things take time. If you had more proof than just that video, we might be able to speed it up. But right now, all you have is a hippie that freed a group of loonies from prison, and the words of a senile old man."

"That 'senile old man' gave us information that has proven factual. The only way he could know these things, things that your people haven't even released yet, would be if he was telling the truth. Plus, we have the testimonies of Miss Maddox's family members-"

"Yes, family members that were in such a severe state of shock, that most of them couldn't even remember their own names. And how convenient, none of them remember giving that testimony!"

"You know that those memories will most likely resurface! Shock-related amnesia is not uncommon!"

"Its not enough! You go after them if you want to. But you will not receive the backing of the United States Government when Ireland complains of you stepping on their toes. Not unless you wait for the papers. Now-" The snooty woman cut Michael off before he could complain, "If you have nothing important to share, stop monopolizing my line!"

The line went dead and the man snarled and slammed the receiver down onto the base. "Bitch!"

"Carlson! Get that Scientist in here and then get your shit packed! If the Goddamned government won't protect itself, I'll fucking do it myself!"

"Yes sir!"

The screechy voice of their newest informant was heard as Michael's door nearly swung off the hinges. "Unhand me, you filthy heathen! Let go of me! Do you know who I am?!"

"Fumio Hojo." Michael snapped.

"Hn?"

"You've told me everything you know?"

'Not even close, ignorant fool.' Hojo thought to himself. There was no way he was giving them any information that they might be able to use to defeat Jenova. Instead, the mad scientist answered with "Of course."

Michael sighed. He had a feeling this man knew more than he was saying, and maybe a little road trip, away from the eyes of the government and legal boundaries, he could get the ugly old man to talk.

"Why are we packing, sir?" Asked his personal assistant, Colson.

"We already know that they left the country, and we know where they are. If our own damned government won't do anything about it, I'm gonna. So get your shit packed, we're going to Belfast. It shouldn't be too hard to find them, if we play our cards right with the Irish government."

!@#$%^&*()

"This is incredible!" Harmony said, her voice like that of a little child seeing Disneyland for the first time.

"I wouldn't know." Kadaj drawled. They had been searching over documents an scrolls for half an hour, the group having to prod the women to get them to talk. They were supposed to be reading aloud, translating as the letters were all written in Irish-Gaelic, but occasionally, the two women would become so lost in the information, they would forget their audience and become silent.

"Oh, sorry!" Harmony said. "It says that there are over sixty-thousand inter-dimensional portals leading from our world to yours-Hey! Don't touch it! this scroll is damn near two-thousand years old!" Harmony snapped as Kadaj reached out to grab the parchment from her hands. It wouldn't do any good, anyway, he couldn't read it! "Anyway," she continued. "The closest portal to us is at The Druids Altar, also known as the Drombeg Stone Circle. This says it takes a full coven, along with the power of an Ancient, to force the portal open."

"Force it open?" Rufus asked.

"Yeah. It says the portal does open on its own, every... uh..." They watched her eyes rove the page, searching for the information. "I can't make it out. Its too faded."

"Mine says that there should be a scroll at the bottom of the box, with instructions on how to conduct the ceremony." Sassi cut in. "I think we should call Austin. With this information, we could send them home in... oh... it..."

"What?" Yazoo prodded.

"It says it can only be done on Samhain."

"What's that?" Barrett asked.

"Halloween." 

"...and what's that?" Cloud cut in.

"Its a festival... its just... hell, Samhain is... what's today?" Harmony said. She pulled out her phone and checked her calendar. "Oh my God, Sassi. Samhain is in less than a month!"

SIlence festered in the room. Each person appeared lost in thought, eyes closed or looking at the fire burning in the fireplace. Only Kadaj looked somewhere else. He watched the emotions play across Harmony's face. Relief, most likely about finally finding a way to send them home. Shock, most likely about how quickly it would happen. And despair. He knew without a shadow of a doubt what that was for. He could admit that he felt something similar.

The silence was finally broken when Sassi sighed and hung her head. "I'm calling Austin. Everyone, claim a room. the beds are clean now, and we're exhausted. Hari, put the scroll down before you destroy it. You're wringing your hands." The others nodded grudgingly, standing from their positions and making their way out of the library.

"Hari, Kadaj, Loz? Stay please. I... I think we need to talk." Kadaj nodded, sitting on the couch and pulling Harmony into his lap. He caught Yazoo's eye as the man left the room, his older brother shooting him a knowing gaze, full of sympathy.

Once the door closed, Sassi spoke. "Okay. What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?" Loz asked.

"Well... when we were at the ranch, Harmony and I were talking, and she made a very good point. One that I agree with."

"And what is that?" Kadaj drawled, his hands tracing soothing designs down Harmony's shaking arms. It didn't even look like he was aware he was doing it.

"We both agree that part of the reason you were sent here was to earn your right to exist in your world, after everything that happened." She waited for them to react, and continued when both men nodded. "We think that the other reason... is that the Lifestream decided that it was time, and sent you here to find me. I think I'm supposed to go back with you."

Kadaj turned shocked eyes to Harmony, finding her staring at Sassi. After a moment, she turned her gaze to Kadaj. "I..." She started, "I don't agree with leaving this world, I still think the risks are too great, changing the timeline, the very basis your world is built off of... but... Where she goes, I go." She whispered.

"Have you really thought this through?" Came a voice from the doorway, startling the four in the room. They turned to find Vincent standing in the doorway, the others not far behind them.

"What is it with people eavesdropping on private conversations?!" Kadaj said, exasperated.

"This involves us all!" Angeal said, stepping up beside Vincent. The Gunman nodded.

"It does. However, you were right before, about going to bed. We are all exhausted, and you and Harmony received quite a shock today. You, Sassi, look even worse off than Harmony does. You're moody, and tired. Such large decisions should be discussed with clear minds. Which at the moment, you don't possess. It is late, and morning will come quickly. Make your phone call, and then go to bed."

Sassi and Harmony stared in shock at the dark man, having never heard him offer his words so freely.

"You're right. Of course." Sassi shook her head and pulled her new prepaid cell phone from her pocket. She stared a moment, trying to remember the long string of number she had to dial, before punching the buttons and bringing the phone to her ear.

"Austin? Its Sassi. We found something. You guys need to get here, now."

!@#$%^&*()

"Is Sassi the only reason you'd come with us?" Kadaj asked as Harmony settled into the bed beside him.

"Kadaj..." She looked emotionally beaten, worn. "Yes. I told you. I don't think its a good idea to mess with your timeline, to play with magics that we have no idea how to use, or can even come close to understanding. I love you, and I don't want to be without you, this is why I tried to stop this... I knew that it would only make it harder! I love you! Though God only knows why. You're stubborned, ill-tempered, jealous, possessive, and absolutely psychotic."

Kadaj grimaced and shook his head. "You're right. You shouldn't have to deal with my insanity."

Harmony stared at him. Everything she said was true, they both knew it, but there was another truth. One that Kadaj needed to know. "Don't be silly." She said with a sad smile, "You're just the crazy I've been looking for."

Kadaj caught her eye with a smirk and a chuckle. "Well, who else would put up with your crazy ass?"

Harmony gasped in mock outrage, lifting a pillow and smacking the youngest Remnant on the arm.

And the fight was on.

!@#$%^&*()

Aerith gazed at the stars above her. It was strange. THey looked the same, but all of the constellations that she knew from her world were non-existent here. It was still pretty, though. She was glad that Sassi's family estate was far enough away from the cities that she could even see the stars. She remembered a time before, when she had been deathly afraid of the sky. Unlike the others that had died in their world, Aerith remembered everything. Every moment of her life, but most clearly was meeting Zack, and what had followed. The joy when he would visit her in her little church, her worry when he would leave for a mission, her utter fear when he left for Nibelheim... never to return...

She was certain that the others expected her to rebel at the thought of Sephiroth as her Guardian, but she just couldn't. She knew, she had known all along, that Sephiroth wasn't to blame. From what Zack had told her, Sephiroth was actually a very likable man, once you got past the arrogance. She knew that without Hojo's experiments, and Jenova's influence, the event in Nibelheim never would have happened. She also knew that without Jenova, pushing and driving him into the hands of insanity, he never would have followed her into the Forgotten Capitol.

Cid had stated that Sephiroth's reason for avoiding her was vanity. He thought that the General thought himself better than to assiciate with peasants such as them, but Aerith didn't think that was the case. He seemed almost shy, unwilliung to speak unless spoken to, or unless what he had to say was important. From what Zack had said, it was understandable. To spend your whole life unable to trust anyone, even both of your only real friends abandoning you... she would be hesitant to let people in, as well.

So lost in her thoughts, she did not notice the tall form gliding out to the garden.

"I feel the need to ensure that you are well." Sephiroth said, stiffly. His voice shocked the woman and she let out a startled cry.

"Oh! You scared me!"

"My apologies." Sephiroth said. 'That was stupid, Of course she'd be afraid of me!' He turned to leave, surprised when a delicate hand landed on his arm.

"No, please stay. I was actually just thinking about you." Aerith said softly.

"Oh?"

"Yes. I wanted to talk to you. Will you please sit with me?"

Sephiroth looked into her bright green eyes and sighed. He didn't stand a chance.

"Very well. What would you like to discuss?" He said, hoping desperately to avoid the conversation he knew was coming.

"I just wondered why you avoid me. Do you... feel guilty? About the Capitol?"

'Damn you, whatever God is doing this to me!' He didn't want to admit it, but he was compelled to answer truthfully.

"Yes." He said, shocked and angry at the shame in his voice.

"I forgive you."

His head snapped up and he fixed hin unnerving eyes on hers. "What?!"

"I forgive you. I know that it was because of Jenova. I know that you were in there somewhere. Even if you don't remember it. Its okay."

Sephiroth stared at her for a long while. "I see." he finally said. "This is why he loves you so much. Why they all do." He sighed. "I am not sure yet, if I can accept what the Lifestream has done. I'm not sure if I am worthy of being your Guardian, nor if I even want to be. But this... this has helped, a bit. Thank you."

Aerith smiled brightly at him, nodding her understanding.

Sephiroth took the opportunity to make his escape. "I find that I am tired, as well. You should rest, Zackary has been looking for you. Goodnight, Aerith." He was surprised that he didn't stutter when he said her name.

Walking through the doors into the manor, he felt, more than heard her whisper.

"Goodnight, Guardian."


	41. Inopportune Blessings

Chapter 41

"Hey Sassi. Sleep okay?" Harmony said as she zombied into the kitchen for her coffee.

"Yeah. I guess. I don't know... I think I'm sick." Sassi said, her hand resting on her stomach.

Harmony instantly perked up, listening intently. "Sick how?"

"Well... The last few mornings I've felt so awful. I'm so sick when I wake up, I feel like I want to throw up... but then after a little while, it just... goes away. And I feel so mean. Ornery all the time, you know? The other night, when we were playing in the cemetary, Loz said something completely innocent, and I snapped at him. I wouldn't even let him apologize. And I feel so tired... all the time." Sassi sounded close to tears.

"Maybe its the flu? It is that time of year. Maybe you should stay in bed today?" Harmony said, but in her mind, she was running through the symptoms that Sassi had just stated.

"I can't stay in bed all day! We have a lot to do! I want to go to Drombeg to see if there's anything out of the ordinary."

"When will the coven be here?" Harmony asked.

"Well, Samhain is in 17 days. The coven will be here on the twenty-eighth, that gives us three days to practice and memorize the spell. But we can be working on that before they get here."

"Then we have fifteen days to go to Drombeg, and this should have passed by then. Go back to bed. I'll let everyone know you're not feeling well, and I'll check in on you." 'Ha, fifteen days and this'll be gone. Not likely. Good thing she keeps a calendar on her cycle.' Harmony thought. If she was right, then Sassi would be feeling these symptoms for another eight months... at least. 

'Oh hell.' Harmony thought, 'I have to find my book. Maybe there's a spell that can verify my suspicions.'

!@#$%^&*()

"Ah, land!" Michael said, stepping out of the airport and taking a deep breath. "Hojo! Get your greasey ass over here! You're not here on vacation, you are a ward of the state."

Hojo huffed and crossed his arms. "Of course. And what are your plans, O Wise One? Did not your own government say that just the day before yesterday, whatever was holding Jenova disappeared, as did She?"

"That's why were going to find Flint and Maddox. Maddox got those three... Whatever you called them... away from the government. She obviously knows something. And if her reaction to someone threatening Flint is truly as you say, then all we have to do is get ahold of her, and Maddox will tell us everything we want to know, and then some."

Hojo snickered internally. The people of this world were so ignorant. First of all, Harmony would destroy them before they even got close to Sassi, if she truly was a Guardian, and Second, even if Harmony did know where Jenova was, she couldn't stop her permanantly. Her little spell had been humorous, and impressive... but there was no way these pathetic humans held the power to destroy the greatest creation the cosmos ever produced.

"Get in." Michael said to him, holding open the door to the taxi he'd just hailed.

Hojo stuck his nose in the air and breezed past the detective. It wouldn't be long... then they'd all pay for doubting him. For attempting to destroy his life's work. They'd pay. They'd see.

!@#$%^&*()

Harmony waited until she heard Sassi's sigh through the door as the redhead sank into the warm bubble bath that she'd drawn for her, before making her way to Sassi's desk. She pulled the drawer open and quietly pulled out the small day-planner her friend kept. Opening the book to the correct page, she began counting. She knew that Sassi had gone through her cycle just a couple of weeks before she and Loz had slept together so she should be starting again... "Last week... Oh shit!" Harmony whispered. She knew it was right. Sassi kept meticulous records of her cycle, and she was never off. Not even by a day!

Harmony snapped her head in the direction of the bathroom and stared. This was... horrible, good news. Horrible, because this was the most inopportune time this could happen-the stress they already faced was bad enough, and wonderful because she knew how much Sassi wanted a child of her own.

'This isn't solid, yet. It could just be the stress making her late... it isn't uncommon. I still need to find a spell or something. Some way to find out without making her suspicious.' Harmony thought. She carefully closed the book, replacing it in the drawer and cosing the desk. 

She called out to Sassi once more, asking if she was okay for a while, and upon hearing the redhead's confirmation, she hastily left the room, veering to the left and heading for the library to check her book.

!@#$%^&*()

"So its just a normal thing? Anyone could get it?" Loz asked anxiously after Harmony had explained that Sassi needed to be left alone to rest.

"Yep. I would recommend staying away from her for at least today. It is contagious. And even though you say that you guys don't get sick, this is a different world, with different illnesses. She'll be fine. I'll put together a potion and put it in a soup and she'll be good as new in no time." Harmony assured him.

Loz nodded. "Okay." He said. "I guess I'll go train with the guys in the garden."

"Don't break anything! This isn't like the meadow. We may be far from other houses, but grandiose moves and such will draw attention. The glamors I cast around here only stop people from seeing so much. Be careful."

Loz stood up, nodding. "Okay. I'll tell them. Will you let me know if anything changes?"

"You bet." Harmony smiled. Ah, young love!

She stayed in the kitchen for a long while, carefully measuring ingredients as she brewed the potion that would tell her if Sassi was pregnant or not. If she was, the potion would make her ill. Nothing that would jeapordize the pregnancy, but just enough to make her throw up, and the effects were instantanious. So long as she didn't touch Sassi's skin, the redhead would never know what it really was.

No, it was too risky. Sassi was more comfortable around Harmony, never really wearing her gloves, or long sleeves. It would have to be given by someone that she couldn't read.

As if sensing her distress, fortune once again smiled brightly at the young witch, as Vincent Valentine slinked into the room.

"What is that?" He asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Huh?" Harmony grinned. 'Perfect.'

"Oh, Sassi has the flu. This is a Wiccan remedy that will help flush it out of her system. I need her to take it straight away, but I can't leave the pot brewing without someone who knows what they're doing watching it. Will you take it to her? Just don't touch any used tissues or anything."

Vincent stared at the vial that Harmony held out to him. Her explanation seemed a bit suspicious, but he shrugged it off. What reason would she have to lie to him? 

"Sure." He said, taking the vial.

Harmony watched nervously as the Gunman left the room, hoping he wouldn't be too angry with her if she was proven correct and Sassi threw up on him.

!@#$%^&*()

I sense life. Came the voice from Vincent's mind.

'Chaos.' Vincent sighed internally. 'Why am I not surprised that you can't leave me alone for one day?'

Though he could no longer transform, the beast had no power left after the Omega incident, Chaos was still very much a part of him, his consciousness residing in Vincent's mind even still.

You would be so lonely without me. Don't deny it. The demon teased. As I was saying, I sense life.

'What are you going on about? I know you sense life. There are people all around us.'

No, I mean I sense new life. A fresh soul from this world's Lifestream. Its very close.

Vincent rolled his eyes. It was probably some squirrel or something like that. He opened the door to Sassi's room and stepped inside to find the woman sitting up in bed reading over the scrolls from her grandfather. But something was off.

'She smells different.' He though to himself. 'Its probably because she's sick.'

I don't think so, Vincent, the new spirit feels the strongest in here. That female is pregnant!

'Don't be ridiculous.'

"Hello, Sassi. How are you feeling?" He asked.

The redhead looked up, pushing her reading glasses further up her nose. "Oh, hey. I'm alright. Just a bug. What's that?" She pointed to the vial that Vincent held. He handed it to her.

"Harmony said it is a remedy. She made it for you." Vincent answered.

"Oh. Well then, its sure to be disgusting, and effective." Sassi chuckled at her own joke, and then uncorked the vial. "Cheers." she said, downing the contents in one gulp.

"Yuck! Oh those are gross! ... Oh no... I -uck- I don't... feel too good-!"

And with that, the Redhead lost her breakfast all over one very confused, very disgusted Gunman.

I told you. The female is pregnant.

'Shut. Up.'

!@#$%^&*()

Harmony sighed, aggrivated. It had been over an hour since she sent Vincent to Sassi's room with her potion, and the Gunman hadn't returned yet. You'd think if Sassi had become sick, Vincent would have come to tell her, so she could help!

But no, not a word, and now she was stuck listening to Loz worry over Sassi. As if her thinking of the dark man summoned him, he appeaered behind her. She didn't even see him... but she could feel the dark, angry aura that radiated from him.

"She is not sick." He hissed through gritted teeth.

"What are you talking about?" Loz asked, confused.

"You are aware that even though Chaos is no longer able to take over my body, I can still speak with him?" 

Harmony nodded, having heard the story.

"Chaos, as the demon of death, as Death itself, can sense life. Its not like seeing, or hearing. He feels the spirit, the heartbeat of the soul."

"That's kind of creepy, Vince." Harmony pointed out.

"Indeed." He shook his head to force himself to focus. "Your friend is not ill, and you know that." He growled to Harmony.

"She barfed on you, huh?" She said quietly. At Vincent's nod, she sighed, and continued. "I was afraid of that. Sorry, but I had to know, and if she had touched me, she'd have known, too. I don't think its a good idea to pile that on top of all the stress that already exists."

"What?!" Loz said desperately. Harmony stared him down, trying to decide if it was safe to tell him. He had a right to know, after all.

"If I tell you, you cannot tell Sassi until all of this has blown over, do you hear me? Stressing her out right now could make her really sick! If she hasn't figured it out by the time the coven gets here, I'll tell her myself. Got it?!"

"Okay, okay! Remnant's Promise!"

Harmony rolled her eyes. Pulling Loz close, she whispered in his ear.

"What?!"

Vincent watched the two, surprising himself as he fought not to laugh at the look on the Remnant's face... right before the big man passed out.

"Well... that went well." Harmony said. She stopped Vincent as he sighed and leaned down to lift the Remnant from the floor. "Just leave him there. He'll be alright."

!@#$%^&*()

"Kadaj, I know that I'm a Remnant, too... but you seriously need to back off." Yazoo panted. He and Kadaj had been sparring in the garden, and the youngest Remnant was drawing on his tumultuous emotions and kicking his ass. 

Kadaj let out a frustrated sigh. "Sorry. I just... it kind of bothers me that the only reason Harmony would come with us is Sassi."

"Now, Kadaj-"

"I know! I know that its their bond, I know! I accept that... it just..."

"It hurts, doesn't it? That she would go for Sassi, but not for you?"

Kadaj looked away. "Yeah. I guess it does."

Yazoo nodded. "Perhaps if you told her, it would change that. You know she loves you, and you would be willing to stay here if you had to, but she doesn't know how you feel. Its only natural that she would be reluctant, not knowing what waits for her on the other side."

Kadaj groaned in annoyance. "Shut-up. Stop making sense!"

Yazoo opened his mouth to reply, but Loz's shout cut him off as he rushed to the duo in the garden.

"Yazoo! Yazoo!"

"What?" The middle Remnant asked, eyes wide and curious as to what had his elder brother so excited.

"Oh, hi Kadaj!" Loz said as though he'd only just noticed the youngest Remnant was there.

"What was the shoutiing, earlier?" Yazoo asked.

"You'll never believe it! I'm gonna be castrated when Sassi finds out... but I'm gonna be a father!!!" He beamed.

Yazoo wore a dumbfounded expression. "I'm sorry? Congratulations?" He said in a confused voice. He cocked his head to the side, slightly. "Do I buy you a bandage, or a beer?"

"Both!" Loz laughed.

"Wait, wait... What the hell? How does Sassi not know, if you do?" Kadaj asked.

"I guess she'd been complaining about not feelilng well to Hari, and Hari thought that it sounded weird, so she put together this potion that made Sassi puke all over Valentine, and she knew she was pregnant. Oh, and Valentine said that Chaos could sense that Sassi's pregnant." Loz said all in one breath. "Oh," he said, more subdued, "Harmony said not to tell Sassi, because the stress could make her really sick. She says there's enough of that."

Yazoo and Kadaj nodded, both still wearing shocked expressions. They watched Loz frolic back toward the manor, the sight slightly disturbing.

"Well," Yazoo said to Kadaj after a long silence. "When Sassi finds out, she will definitely be coming with us. And that means..."

"Harmony will too..." Kadaj finished.

Kadaj lost himself in thought. Although happy for his brother, he couldn't shake the feeling of jealousy that made him wish that Harmony was pregnant, instead.


	42. Breaking Free

Chapter 42

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wilford. Ye know that we can't give ye that information." Cormac said to the man sitting at his desk.

"Garda Brennan, this is a very serious situation. Miss Maddox is a serious potential threat to the integrity of the Unites States Government."

"Then ye should have no problem waitin' fer the proper paperwork. I'm sorry, Mr. Wilford. I canna' help you."

"Fine, fine. Can you at least tell me of any extra-terrestrial sightings? You've heard, of course, that the alien floating above San Francisco disappeared a few days ago?"

"We had not heard, no." Cormac said, delighting in the fact that the man before him seemed panicked at giving away what could have been a matter of National Security. "If we hear anythin', we'll be sure ta let ye know."

Michael nodded and stood. Extending his hand, he shook with the Garda. "Well, thank you for your time, Garda Brennan. I guess I'll see you when I have the warrant from my superiors." With that, he left the man's office, a noticable slouch of disappointment in his shoulders.

Just as he was making his way to the door, a voice stopped him. "Psst!"

"Hm?" Michael said, rounding the corner to find a large man standing in the empty hallway. "Can I help you?"

"Seattle Detective Michael Wilford, right?" The man said.

"...Yes?"

"My name is Colin Doyle. I think I can help you, if you can promise to get those people out of Ireland, and back where they belong."

"Gimme what you got, and I'll do my best." Michael said, intrigued that this man was also willing to ignore International laws to catch these strange criminals.

The man handed him a folded piece of paper, looking around to ensure no one saw him. "That's the address. The redhead is Sassafrass Flint, the brunette is Lilith Maddox. When we received word from your government, we were told that Maddox is the most dangerous of the bunch. I've had a watch set up, but the only thing we've seen are a few flashes of bright blue light every now and again. Now I've given you what I can, you hold up yer part and get them out of Ireland!"

With that, the stout man left Michael standing in the dimly lit hallway wondering at his good luck. Now all he had to do was get inside and get to Flint before anyone else knew he was there.

!@#$%^&*()

"Duck!" Sassi shouted to Harmony as Kadaj swung his sword in her direction. "Left! No! My left! Ack!"

Harmony hit the ground with a loud groan, sitting up and sending a glare Sassi's way.

"Do me a favor and stop doing me favors!" She growled. She slapped Kadaj's hand away when he reached down to help her up.

"You're getting better." He commented. 

"You're still holding back." She snapped.

"Yeah, but not as much as I used to. I have to work a lot harder for my win." He smirked at her, a devilishly handsome expression.

Harmony huffed. "But you still win." She turned to look at him, sighting his smirk and feeling her insides melt. How could she be angry at a face like that? She sighed. "I need a shower." She spotted Loz sitting next to Sassi, waiting for his turn to fight the redhead. "All yours." Harmony motioned behind her.

Kadaj hurried to catch up to Harmony. Hey, wait. Can I talk to you?" He loathed the way his insides seemed to shake as he prepared himself for the conversation to come.

"Can I shower first? Please?" Harmony pleaded, exasperated.

"Yeah. But make it quick." He said.

"Kadaj, I'll shower for as long as I feel like it, and I'll walk as slow as I-HEY! No! Putmedownputmedownputmedooooooooown!" She screamed as Kadaj lifted her up and- much like he did the first time they met- slung her over his shoulder, taking off at a dead run for the manor.

He didn't even slow down when they reached the overhang to their balcony, instead giving a great leap and landing right outside their glass doors.

"You. Jerk. Face." Harmony moaned. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Hey, as long as I don't end up like Valentine-"

"What?! How the hell do you know about that?" Harmony hissed.

"Loz told us. That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. But I promised, so go take your shower first. Just hurry."

Harmony pouted, sticking her tongue out at the youngest Remnant and shoving past him.

"Promises, promises!" Kadaj teased after her.

"Bite me!" Harmony sassed, hurrying to close the bathroom door before the Remnant could get to her.

She wasn't quick enough.

"Don't offer if you aren't willing to go through with it!" His dark voice purred from behind her. With that, he brushed her hair off to the side, gripped her shoulders to hold her steady, and dug his teeth into the side of her neck with just enough force to bruise.

"Ow...oh!" Harmony said, not sure if she was livid... or aroused. "Get out!"

Kadaj chuckled and opened the door, leaving Harmony to her shower.

When the door closed behind him, he walked to the bed and lay down, propping himself up against the head board. He had planned to talk to Harmony about leaving with them, planned to convince her to go not because of Sassi, but because of him. Though he could understand and agree with Yazoo's opinion on the matter, he still did not feel like he could say the words to Harmony. Not yet.

It was barely fifteen minutes later when Harmony emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped securely around her torso. He spared him a tired glance and went to the bureau, retrieving a pair of flannel pants and a loose, long sleeved shirt.

"What did you want to talk about?" She said, sitting next to him on the bed after dressing.

"I want you to come with me, to Gaia." He blurted. Damnit! That was not the way he wanted it to go!

"Kadaj, I already told you. Where Sassi goes, I go. And now that she's pregnant, once she finds out, she'll want to go with Loz. So you're getting what you want. I am going." Harmony said.

"No. Not like that. I want you to go with me. Like we are now. Together."

"And what are we, Kadaj?" Harmony snapped. "A couple? Lovers? What? I know that I love you, and you know it, too, but what does that even mean to you?"

"Everything! It means everything to me!" He shouted, sitting up and grasping her arms. "I've never had anyone who really cared about me1 Not since Kiku! I never wanted anyone else to care about me! And then you came along with your silly idea of honor, and your crazy power, accepting us even when you knew that we would most likely kill you the first chance we got! I didn't want to care about you! But now, I-"

He stopped when he saw the shocked face of Harmony staring back at him, and thought back, running his words through his mind again and again, unable to believe how close he had come to saying...it...

"You care about me?" Harmony said softly.

Kadaj cursed, sitting back and running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. I do. A lot."

Harmony snorted. "Well, don't sound so excited about it! Kidding! Kidding." She said defensively when Kadaj gave her a dry look. She pulled herself completely onto the bed and curled up against his side.

"I get it, Kadaj, I really do. But you know that-"

"Just stop. If you're going to talk about timelines, and alternate dimensions, and weird magic, just stop. Did you ever think that if we were sent here to do what it is you and Sassi think we were sent to do, that the Lifestream would have compensated for that fact and prepared itself? I, personally, have seen the power of the Lifestream! I know what it is capable of. I know you plan on coming, now that you know that Sassi is, too... but I want you to come for me."

"Kadaj..." Harmony said, lifting her head to look into his eyes. He didn't have to say it. It was there, plain as day. "Okay. I'll come with you."

Kadaj smiled and kissed her forehead, "Thank you."

Harmony nodded and the two were still for a few moments.

"I have to make lunch. Its my turn." Harmony said, standing from the bed and walking backwards to the door. "Come down in an hour or so and it'll be ready." She rushed out, closing the door before Kadaj could reply.

Even though she saw the spark in his eyes, there was still doubt. Did he really love or, or did he only think he did?

!@#$%^&*()

'Yes... I've done it!' Hojo thought as he read the address on the page. Michael and Colson were sleeping soundly in the next room, having been slipped a little... help... by the Mad Scientist. 'Do you see this, Jenova my love? Do you see where they are? Come to me... Come to me and I will be your vessel... just as it has always been...'

!@#$%^&*()

"My my my, what a pretty little specimen you are..." The horrid voice echoed through Sassi's ears. "You just might be my finest creation yet!"  
'Where am I?' She thought, struggling to open her eyes.

"Ah ah ah ah! Not yet, my dear! Just you wait! All of my work, my knowlege, will be presented to the world in the form on one beautiful, ultimate weapon. You will be... unstoppable!"

Sassi forced her eyes open, but stared in confusion when she realized that there was no one in the room speaking to her. She wasn't even in a room, at all...

Frigid cold was what surrounded her- frigid cold and pitch black darkness. As she stared out into the blackness ahead of her, a light came into view. She watched the light grow bigger and bigger until she realized that what she was looking at was the Earth, more specifically, Ireland. She felt a great power begin shaking her as she came closer and closer to the planet, it becoming very clear that she would land in very short time...

"Sassi! Sassi please, wake up!" Sassi awoke to someone shaking her, Harmony, if her ears were correct.

"What? I was having the weirdest dream!"

"Get up, Sassi! Please!" At registering the panic in Harmony's voice, Sassi's eyes shot open.

"What? What's wrong?!"

"We have a big problem! Somehow, Jenova broke through my barrier! She heading straight for us! I can't stop her myself again, Sassi! It would kill me! I need your help!"

Sassi was out of bed and half dressed when she heard the name 'Jenova'. "What do we do?"

"Well, I think if you, Aerith, an I say the same spell I did before," She handed Sassi a hastily and barely legible note, "then we can freeze her again. Just until the coven gets here. Come one, we have to move! Loz and Yazoo have Kadaj locked in our room, Jenova's trying to take him again!"

Sassi had never, ever, in the entire time she had known Harmony, heard her sound so desperate.

"Its okay. Its going to be alright. Come on, lets do this. I hope it works."

A scream of rage and a stream of curses was heard from Harmony's bedroom, followed by the sound of glass shattering against the wall.

'So do I...' Harmony sobbed internally. She sniffled once more, a determined look overcoming her features. 'You Goddamned monster. I will not let you have him! You'll have to fucking kill me first, you outer-space BITCH!'


	43. You Can't Take Me

Chapter 43

The three women gathered in a circle, small fire and bright, glowing crystals in the center and hands clasped tightly as they repeated their spell over and over again.

"May she who invades our peaceful world be banished evermore! Frozen in time without a soul for survival until the Coven's strength restore!" Three voices all but screamed into the night.

A stream of green, white, and blue light exploded from the center of the circle they created, raging toward Jenova with the force of a thousand hurricanes.

"Is it working?" Harmony asked anxiously. 

"I don't know!" Sassi said, straining to see where the light would impact the alien.

The light suddenly exploded, a strange multicolored fire spreading around the creature, and the group standing below her began to cheer.

"It worked!" Yuffie said, jumping and pumping her fists.

"Hell yeah!" Cid chimed in.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet." Vincent said. the other's followed his pointed finger up to where Jenova floated in the sky, showing them that the bright fire that had englufed her was fading away, leaving her untouched and still hurdling toward the Earth.

"No!" Harmony screamed. "Why didn't it work?!"

"I think we'd better worry about destroying her at them moment. We can worry about why it didn't work, later." Sephiroth stated. He had felt Jenova's pull long before they saw the wretched creature, but just as he thought she would win, would drag him to the depths of insanity once again, the image of a face appeared in his mind. The face of the tiny flower girl as she lay on the altar in the Forgotten Capitol with his sword through her middle. That image was replaced by her smiling face, beaming at him when he had spoken to her the night before. Along with that image, came the overwhelming need to protect her. A feeling that the General couldn't even begin to understand, or describe.

Jenova had no power over him anymore. And just from the feel of her raging at the unbreakable barrier in his mind, that fact had her pissed.

"Are you saying that this is it?" Harmony whimpered. "This is the fight we've been training for? I'm not ready!"

Angeal stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't matter whether you think you're ready, or not. The time has come, and there's no way out, and no time to doubt yourself. I've seen you spar. You're good. You can do this." Harmony looked at the faces around her. Sassi was smiling, her expression terrified, but supportive, mirroring the faces of those around her. She closed her eyes and did her best to focus her energy.

Very good. The words echoed through her head, soothing and giving her strength. You have accepted your path. Now, you truly are ready to accept the resposibilites of a Guardian.

At that moment, she felt a new power come over her, and all of her doubts vanished. She felt as though she had been in this situation a million times, and she just knew what she had to do. When she opened her eyes and focused on the alien rapidly approaching, her bright green orbs were glowing, teeming with strength and knowledge.

"I've got it!" She said. "Snipers, for right now I want you in the front!" 

The group stared in awe as they watched the transformation from timid rookie to well seasoned warrior, the gunmen of the group smiling and stepping forward. Even Sephiroth found himself respecting the Guardian even more.

"Right, You guys are first. I want you to give it all you've got until that bitch lands!"

"Ammo?" Rufus asked, already checking his gun over.

"Oh don't you worry about that. Sassi? Can you cast a duplicating spell and keep it going?"

"You know I can." Sassi said, giving a nod and getting to work.

"Alright. Aerith, you're more of a healer, right?" The flower girl nodded. "Okay, I want you in the back. Stay out of the main fight. You're the most important piece of the battle!" She added when it looked as if Aerith was going to protest, "Who'll heal us if you are hurt, or killed?"

Sephiroth shuddered at the mere mention of Aerith's death and the Ancient reluctantly nodded.

"RIght. Close-range fighters, wait until she lands, and then switch places with the gunners. When she lands, I want those with long range weapons in the back. Vincent? I want you to take a higher point. A tree, or something. Sassi..."

"What?" Sassi asked, getting the feeling that she was about to become very angry.

"Stay with Aerith."

"Oh I know you did not just tell me to stay out of the fight!"

"I did! I need you to make sure that the guys ammo doesn't run out, and help Aerith hea people, if she needs it! Please, Sassi!"

"Absolutely not! You think I'm just going to let you walk right up to that Goddamned demon alone?!"

"Sassi." Harmony said, hating herself for pulling this rather underhanded and unfair card. "You're pregnant."

Sassi stopped arguing, choking a bit and staring at Harmony. "I don't believe you! How could you stoop so low as to lie to me about something like that?!" She whispered.

"You haven't told her yet?" Vincent said, shocked. He shook his head. This was not the time for this discussion. "Its true. I helped her confirm it." he offered before adding "Can you two argue about this later? She's almost within firing range."

Harmony timidly reached out her hand and laid it across Sassi's bare shoulder, focusing hard on the moment she verified Sassi's pregnancy.

"Oh my God..." Sassi gasped, her wide eyes shocked and unfocused.

"Will you please stay with Aerith?"

Sassi nodded dumbly, but the expression soon faded and a scowl replaced it.

"Good. Now. Everyone know their part?" Harmony asked, turning around. Every head nodded. "Good. Sephiroth, I need you to do something for me."

"And what is that?" He asked.

"I need you to protect Sassi for a few minutes. There are three more people that need to be here."

Sephiroth nodded. "I will do my best... but you know if it comes down to it... Aerith is my-"

"Yeah, your priority, got it. Just... give me ten minutes, please?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I will protect her.”

“Thank you.” With that, she turned around to make her way into the mansion.

“Wait! Where are you going?!” Sassi called.

“To get Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz.”

“Are you insane?! He’ll kill you! He came damned close before!”

“Not this time. I can help him. I know I can.”

She didn’t wait for Sassi to reply, fighting every instict inside of her that screamed for her to stay and protect Sassi with every ounce of breathe inside her. They could not win this fight without their full forces, and Kadaj would never be free of her if he didn’t stand against her, if they didn’t show him that he had friends, and didn’t need Jenova.

He had her.

!@#$%^&*()

Michael awoke with a start, groggy from the effect of the sedative that Hojo had slipped him. He knew the moment he started feeling tired that the damned scientist was behind it.

“Hojo!” He roared, stumbling from his bed and stomping into the main area of their suite.

“He’s gone.” Colson said. “He took that paper with the estate’s address on it, and our wallets.”

“Shit!”

“I’ve called the Garda. They’re coming to get us, and we’re all going. Look out the window.”

Michael did as he was told, gasping and falling backward when he saw the giant creature falling toward the earth. “Holy shit, it looks like it’s gonna land right on top of them!”

“Yeah. Garda Brennan convinced the others to put off arresting the girls. They’ve called in their military. This shit’s getting big. I agree with him, though. Unless they’re trying to help the alien, we need to help them stop her. They obviously know something.”

“Agreed. Lets get the fuck out there!”

!@#$%^&*()

“Kadaj! Stop this!” Yazoo shouted.

Kadaj gripped his head in his hands and let out a piercing, gutteral scream. “Fuck! It won’t stop!” He straightened himself, casting a glare at Yazoo and Loz that actually had the other Remnant’s concerned, before picking up a glass mirror and hurling it at them.

“I don’t know what to do, Yazoo!” Loz said, sounding on the verge of tears.

“Don’t cry, Loz.” Yazoo said, calmly. “We just have to keep him here until Jenova is frozen and Hari comes to banish her again.”

“But why is she only after Kadaj? Why isn’t she trying to get to us, too?” Loz asked.

“I don’t know, Loz. I really don’t know.”

The door burst open, Harmony rushing in and wincing when a picture shattered on the wall next to her head.

“What happened? Did you stop her?” Yazoo asked nervously.

“No. It didn’t work. We have no choice, we have to fight her now.”

‘This is not the Harmony I know...’ Yazoo thought to himself. “So what do we do?”

“You two get out there. You’re with the gunners. As soon as she’s within range, fill that bitch full of lead. Sassi will take care of ammo. When she lands, if we’re not out there yet, Vincent's finding a high place to attack from, I want you to do the same. Loz, when she lands, that’s when the close-range fighters move in.”

“I can use a gun, too!” He said, pulling out his own version of Velvet Nightmare. He was also confused and surprised at the change in Harmony’s demeanor.

“Great, use it, but when she lands, give it to Yazoo and fight with the close range fighters. This bitch is going down. If you get hurt, Aerith and Sassi are in charge of healing. Oh, and watch yourself. The only way I could keep her from fighting was to tell her that’s she’s pregnant.”

“Stop whispering to eachother like a bunch of pussies!” Kadai screamed, tired of being ignored.

“The others will explain the rest. Get out of here!” Harmony said, stealing a glance at Kadaj.

“Are you sure you'll be okay?” Yazoo asked, reluctant to leave Harmony alone with their volatile brother.

“Yes! Now GO!”

They nodded and rushed from the room, the door slamming closed and leaving it deathly silent.

“You’re so stupid.” Kadaj panted, doubling over as another sharp bolt cracked at his control.

“Yeah. People do stupid things when they’re in love.” Harmony said with a small smile.

Kadaj stared hard at her. He’d spent the last minutes fighting Jenova, or his brothers when she would grab control of him before being forced out. If she took over now... Harmony wouldn’t survive the next few minutes.

“You should get out of here and get them back in here. You can’t fight me off yourself.” He grunted.

“No.” 

He glared at her, gasping and backing away as she started toward him.

“You fucking idiot! Get away!” He screamed.

“Shut up, Kadaj. I’m not leaving.” She finally reached him and drew his sweaty, struggling form into her arms.

“I love you. And I’m not letting go.”

With those words, Kadaj saw a flash of light, and he sudden;y found himself surrounded by fire.

“Its okay, Kiku,” He heard his much younger voice whisper. “I’m here, I won’t let you go! I love you!”

“Dajjy... I’m scared!” The little girl replied back.

“Its gonna be okay, Kiku, you’ll see! Mother and Father will-NO!” Kadaj screamed as large hands closed around him, fprcing him away from his screaming sister. “Let go of me! Kiku! KIKU!” He screamed, struggling and clawing, biting and scratching at the hands holding him.

“Damn brat!” The man said. He lashed out and kicked the little girl to the side, effectively breaking Kadaj’s hold on her, the only thing left being her skin under his fingernails as he tried in vain to hold on.

The next thing he knew, he was standing outside in shackles, watching in horror and despair as the roof of the burning house collapsed, listening to his sister’s terrified and painfilled screams.

“Kiku! KIKU! Please, she’s still in there! Save her! Save her, please! I’ll go with you! I’ll do what you want! Just save her!”

“Shut up, damned stupid brat!” The SOLDIER hissed. He grabbed Kadaj’s hair, forcing him to watch as the wall of the house caved in, Kiku’s screaming stopping so suddenly that it made Kadaj shudder.

“No! Noooooooooo!”

And then his world flashed white.

“It isn’t your fault, you know.” The voice spoke, leaving Kadaj so startled that he couldn’t answer.

“We were just kids. You tried to save me. It isn’t your fault.”

“Kiku?” Kadaj whimpered.

“Yeah. Its me.” A figure shimmered into sight, a beautiful woman with silver hair, pale skin, and unearthly green eyes. A perfect mirror image of Kadaj in female form. “So, you gonna let her win?”

"No... its not you... Kiku's dead!" Kadaj denied.

The woman laughed. "Well of course, I'm dead, dummy! But that doesn't mean I can't still talk to you!"

"What was our favorite game?" Kadaj asked, still not believing what he saw.

"Cops and Robbers. You were the cop, Father was the robber, and I was the damsel in distress."

'She's killed me. Jenova's won. That's the only explanation.' The Remnant thought.

"Don't be silly. This is just the in-between. Do you really think that woman is going to let Jenova take you from her? I'll ask again, are you gonna let her win?"

Kadaj shook his head to clear it. “I don’t want to, but I can’t keep her out!”

Kiku snorted. “You act like such a child sometimes. You know how to keep her out.”

Kadaj gulped, looking away. “Is it really that easy?”

“Of course it is. The more complicated the evil, the more simple the solution. What are you afraid of, you big scaredy-cat?”

Kadaj smirked at the insult, and then frowned as he thought about her question. “What if I tell her... and the same thing that happened to you... happens to her?” He turned away from her, starting when he felt warm arms embrace him.

“Dajjy, I love you to death, but you’re so thick sometimes.” She ruffled his hair. “I would have died, whether you told me you loved me or not. But I think, knowing that you did, made it easier for me. Do you want her to die knowing you love her, or do you want her to die wondering?”

“I... I want her to know...” As he spoke, that warm blue light began glowing around him, growing brighter and brighter until everything but that light faded from sight. “I want her to know! I love her!”

“There you go, Dajjy. Now go to her, and kick some stupid alien ass!”

With an explosion of blue, Kadaj found himself standing in his bedroom again, Jenova once again pounding at his senses.

He could only chuckle at her futile attempts. “You twisted, Godless, outer-space-whore.” He laughed, the sound sending a shudder down the wide-eyed Harmony’s spine. “You have no power over me. I am loved, and I love. You can’t fucking touch me!” He cackled, pumping his fist into the air and throwing his head back.

A great shriek of rage shook the ground around them, and then the sound of rapid gunfire filled the air.

Kadaj looked at Harmony. “You stupid, crazy, reckless idiot.” He smirked, leaning in to kiss her. Just before their lips touched, he let go of every fear he’d ever held. “You saved me. Thank you.”

“I love you, Kadaj. I’m not letting her have you.”

Kadaj smiled and kissed her, both forgetting momentarily about the giant alien attacking their loved ones outside. When he pulled away, a determined, yet undeniably soft expression covered his features.

“I love you.” He said, his voice strong. “Now lets go kick some alien ass!”

Harmony smiled, nodding and letting out a cry of surprise when Kadaj grabbed her and swung her onto his back, flinging them out the window to the ground below, and running to join the others.

"Its about damn time!" Reno said, firing a few more rounds into the air.

"Yeah, sorry. Got a little held up keeping the giant alien from taking over my brain." Kadaj said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"She's landing!" Came Tseng's cry, "Fall back! Gunners fall back!"

Kadaj squeezed Harmony's hand, forcing her to look at him. "You ready?"

Harmony snorted. "This bitch has no idea who she's fucking with right now."

And with one last look at Sassi, Harmony let loose a bone-shaking battle cry, running at full speed toward Jenova, sword drawn, and face split in a determined, confident smile.

Echoing her cry, the others followed, no one noticing the greasy black hair and white labcoat sneaking around the gate, nor the ripple beneath the white material as the Jenova cells in Hojo's body began to react to her presence.


	44. The Cetran's Gospel

Chapter 44

"Reno! Toss me another clip!" Yazoo shouted from his perch in the tree above the TURK.

"Got it!" The redhead said, not even looking away from Jenova as he threw two more clips directly above him.

Yazoo had not felt this much excitement in... well... ever. Before, when he fought for Jenova, it had been fighting because he wanted to help her. Now however, he was fighting for his life. Literally. He hadn't cared before, but now, looking around him and seeing the faces of all of the people fighting along side him, all of the people that had come to mean so much, fighting became more than just a game. 

He watched his brothers hack and slice and jab at Jenova, watched Harmony bend and twist away from the Alien's poisoned tentacles, watched Cissnei throw her weapon with expert precision. They all moved and fought seamlessly together.

And then the sound of shouting from the gates caught his attention. Apparently, as Harmony fought, her subconscious concentration on the glamour that hid the Estate had wavered, and the glamour had dropped. Garda and what looked like higher trained military groups were swarming the gate, planting what looked like explosives to blast the metal doors open.

"Sassi!" He cried, pointing to the group when she looked up at him. "THey don't know what they're dealing with, they'll only be in the way, they'll get themselves killed!" He couldn't believe he actually cared that people he didn't know might lose their lives.

"On it!" She said. "Aerith, help me!"

The flower girl nodded and rushed to her side, facing the group that was trying to gain entrance to the most dangerous battle the world had ever seen.

"What do I do?"

"Just follow my lead. I'll say the sspell, but when you feel me gather my power, gather yours, too. When I say, release it all at once!"

"Got it!"

Sassi started chanting, weaving her hands together in a beautiful dance. As she spoke, she pushed her power to her hands, focusing on surrounding the estate in an unbreakable physicale barrier. 

"Now!" She cried, and released, feeling Aerith's own overwhelming power merge with hers. The air crackled, a white-and-blue light streaming from Sassi's hands to the sky, where it melted down around the estate in a perfect dome shape.

At that moment, the explosives that were planted went off, a brilliant flash of orange and red and yellow lighting the area. WHen the smoke cleared, Sassi breathed a sigh of relief. The metal gates were still intact, and the men trying to climb over the wall had been stopped, pounding against the invisible force keeping them out.

"I'm sorry!" Sassi hollered to them, "She'll kill you! You're safer out there!" She nodded to Cormac when he waved, letting her know he heard her, and would try to convice the others that this was for the best. 

"Be careful, Little Bird..." He mouthed.

!@#$%^&*()

Harmony fought by Kadaj's side, both covering his blind spot, and trusting that he would cover hers. The fight had only been going for not even ten minutes when she saw the explosion out of the corner of her eye, and she looked over, smiling at Aerith and Sassi using their Cetran power to create the most amazing barrier she'd ever seen. The smile from her face fell, however, and was replaced by a grimace as she felt something tear through her clothes and skin at her side.

"Harmony!" She heard Kadaj cry. She looked down just in time to see One of Jenova's tentacles retracting, and sliced at it, cutting it from the Alien's body... but the damage was done. She doubled over in pain as the wound began to sting and burn, bubbles forming in her blood as the acidic poison seeped into her bloodstream.

"Get out of here!" Kadaj said. "Have Aerith or Sassi help you. We'll be fine for a minute!"

Harmony nodded and turned, moving as quickly as she could for the agonizing pain in her side.

"Hari!" She heard Sassi's cry as her vision blurred. She then felt hands under her arms, strong arms lifting her bridal-style and moving faster than she'd ever moved in her life. When the movement stopped, and strained her eyes to see who had helped her. The only thing she could see was long, long brown-and silver hair.

"Thank you, Sephiroth..." She forced out in a weak whimper.

"Its alright. We're Guardians. I've got your back." He said, and in a whirl of feathers, a magnificent black wing erupted from his back. Giving the shocked trio a smirk, he took off into the air, flying at full-speed toward the Alien that had ruined his life before. He intended to pay her back, a thousand times over.

"Sounds like he's accepted it." Sassi said to Aerith as she looked over Harmony's injury. "I don't know how to fix this!" She breathed out in fear.

"Its okay. I do." Aerith said, her features determined. "Step back." As Sassi did as she was told, the flower girl stood, folding her fingers together as though in prayer, and out of the ground came a beautiful geyser of sweet-smelling water. As the water splashed over Harmony, the bubbling acid was washed away, the water forcing its way into Harmony's system, flushing out the remaining poison and leaving only trender, torn skin behind.

The two Ancients then pulled and tugged until they had Harmony in a sitting position, Aerith tearing off a length of her yellow dress and wrapping it around Harmony's waist.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

"Fantastic." She drawled. "Nothing like being impaled by an Alien's poisoned tentacle."

"Yeah, she's fine." Sassi said. She climbed to her feet and reached down, helping Aerith pull Harmony to hers.

"I have to get back in there. We need every sword we have." Harmony said. "Are you guys still okay here?"

Sassi and Aerith nodded. "Go." Aerith said. "It looks like Kadaj needs some help."

Harmony looked behind her to see Kadaj struggling to cut down the tentacles jabbing at him, while avoiding the barbed projectiles that Jenova kept flinging out.

"Shit!" She rushed toward the battle, intent on stopping Jenova from skewering her lover. Just as one of the barbs began its flight, its trajectory the Remnant's head, it was knocked away by a maroon-hilted, double-bladed sword.

Kadaj spared her a grateful glance. "Thanks." He said.

Harmony only nodded, once again swing left and right, dodge, block, hack. Dodge, block, hack. Dodge, block, Sassi's in trouble, hack. Wait, what?

Harmony froze, feeling a tingling chill of terror race down her spine.

"What are you doing?!" Kadaj cried, knocking a tentacle away from her. "Pay attention!"

"Sassi's in trouble!" HArmony gasped out. She whirled around to find her friend, confusion marring her features when she saw nothing happening. 'What's the deal?' She thought to herself.

As she searched the area surrounding Sassi, the feeling grew from confusion to dread. Out of nowhere, green, slimey tentacles shot from behind Sassi, wrapping around her and squeezing tightly, dragging her off.

"No!" Harmony screamed. "Sassi!"

She abandoned the fight, racing in the direction the tentacles were dragging the Ancient. Sassi was screaming and snarling, sparks of lightening lighting from her hands as she tried in vain to loosen the grip of the sliey appendages.

Harmony let out a gasp when she cleared the trees. There in the garden, stood a horrifying creature, snakelike in apprearance, tentacles writhing from its back and sharp, gleaming claws emerging from gnarled fingers.

"What the fuck?!" Harmony said. She had no time to stop and try to figure the creature out, as the tentacles holding Sassi drew closer to its hideous form, the beast turning to make a run for it.

Harmony instantly felt a deep power consume her, lightening flashing above her as dark clouds burst through the sky. Her already glowing eyes brightened even further, electricity crackling in bright arcs across her body. She lost all sense of thought, all logical though processes ceasing to exist in her mind to be replaced with the pure, raw instinct to protect. She raised her hand and flung it toward the creature, lightening erupting from nearly-glowing fingertips and slamming into the tentacles wrapped around Sassi. 

The creature screamed, and rounded on Harmony, dropping Sassi and hissing as the girl scrambled to her feet and raced to Harmony's side.

"You damned creature of darkness! I'll fucking tear you apart!"

!@#$%^&*()

Michael watched from behind the fountain in the garden, happy he was able to sneak in before Flint had created the barrier. Fear and awe filled him as every hair on his body stood on end from the force of Maddox's out-of-control power. He saw the beast they faced ready itself for attack and made his decision. He'd help the girls, and once this was over, they'd be taken into custody. He lifted his pistol and fired a round into the creature's shoulder.

The creature jerked back with the hit, but other than the small movement, it seemed that the bullet had not even effected it.

"Stay back!" Flint cried to him. "It'll kill you! Please!"

Well, she certainly didn't seem like the hardened criminal he'd been led to believe she was.

Harmony's cry of outrage stole their attention and both Detective and Cetra turned to watch in fascination as bolt after bolt of lightening was fired at the creature, the smell of burning flesh offending their senses.

"What is she?" He asked, carefully making his way to Flint's side.

"You wouldn't understand. Please, we're trying to help!" She answered.

Michael nodded. "Will you tell me after this is over?"

"If you'll get out of here! I'm serious! You'll be killed!"

"And what about you? Aren't you worried?"

"This is my duty. I have to protect this world." It was said as though the woman had only just realized this, herself.

'Okay.' Michael thought. 'I'll wait... and maybe rethink what I'm doing here.'

!@#$%^&*()

"What are you?!" Harmony snarled at the beast she was currently pumping full of lightening.

"You mean you don't recognize me?" The voice made Harmony pause.

"Hojo!" She hissed. 

"Yes! You never imagined that I had injected myself, did you? Hahahahaha. And now, After I dispose of you, I'll take the Ancient. With just a few of your cells, and the remaining Jenova cells, I will create the ultimate weap-ARGH!" Hojo screamed as a tentacle was frozen in ice and then shattered.

"Shut up, you ugly fuck. Evil monologues are so cliche."

Harmony straightened, thought returning. The light remained, however, as did the feeling of unending power.

"Hmph. You're right. Time to die!" With that, Hojo extended his arms, puffs of smoke appearing at his sides. Two ugly, slimey creatures emerged from the smoke, rushing Harmony and Sassi. 

"Shit!" Sassi said, but Harmony was already moving. The creatures fell to the groud with wet 'plop's before Sassi even saw Harmony move.

Harmony straightened from her stance, facing Hojo once again, and Sassi rushed to help her. Pulling her power in on itself, doing what she told Loz about and creating a weapon for herself. The crossbow shined a bright green the bolts seeming to be a physical manifestation of her power. Locking a bolt in place, she took aim and fired, the lightening bolt of magic burying itself in Hojo's torso.

"Bitch!" He seethed. He made to attack Sassi, but was stopped when Harmony threw herself between the two.

"Forgetting someone?!" She said, lashing out with her sword and slicing across his chest. "Power means nothing if you don't know how to use it! You're so stupid! Don't you see what you've done? This is why you should leave it alone! Don't play God and don't fuck with shit you don't understand!"

The battle raged between monster and Guardian, blow after blow being blocked, dodged, or taken with a hiss.

Sassi... the voice whispered at her senses. Lure him to Jenova, child. Bring him closer to the beast!

'But won't that make him stronger?' She thought back.

Trust us child, we will not lead you astray! To Jenova! Now! Trust us!

And she did. "Harmony! Get him closer to Jenova! I know what to do!" Sassi cried.

"Are you crazy?!"

"Please... they told me... Trust me, just do it!"

Harmony growled and pulled back from the fight, turning and running for Sassi. She grabbed the Cetran's arm and pulled her along, racing back to the cemetary where the others were fighting Jenova.

"Are you okay?!" Aerith rushed when they returned.

"No time! Run!" Sassi said, Aerith's eyes going wide when she saw the creature shrieking, closing in.

"Aerith, heal him! Heal him like you healed Harmony!" 

Aerith's eyes widened even more, the understanding slamming into her. The only thing that could destroy Jenova cells...

"Great Gospel!" She cried, lifting her hands above her head as rain began to pour. 

Hojo stopped in his tracks, screaming as though the sweet water burned his skin.

The healing power rained down on the battle, their friends feeling the exhaustion leaving their bodies, leaving them feeling stronger than ever before. Sephiroth cried out, feeling the rain reacting to the Jenova cells in his body.

"Over here!" He heard Loz's cry. He rushed to them, taking cover under a great stone overhang.

"Sorry!" The four heard Sassi shout.

They watched in awe from their position as steam rose from Hojo's form, a great scream of pain and outrage drawing their attention to Jenova. She was effected, too!

As the steam cleared, leaving Hojo panting in the dirt, human once again, Harmony stepped forward to finish him off. Until a thought struck her.

Vincent had the darkest past with him. Vincent needed this to help him overcome his guilt and grief.

"Vincent!" She called. The Gunman jumped down from the tree he was in, jogging to her. At his questioning look, she continued. "Take care of this, will you?" She turned away at the sight of Vincent's wicked smile, rushing to join the fight against Jenova once again.

"With pleasure." she heard, right before the sound of rapid gunfire.

"Hey." She said, kneeling down beside Kadaj. "I'm sorry. We didn't think about what would happen to you guys."

"Its okay," He panted, "Look! Jenova is hurt, too!"

Harmony looked to the Alien and gasped. "Sassi! Aerith! Look!"

The Ancients turned their attention to Jenova, gasping in shock as the creature writhed on the ground, stream rising is gruesome bursts of melting flesh as Aerith's healing rain ate away at her poisonous body.

"Sassi," Aerith whispered. "Grab my hand. You showed me how to help you, now I need you to help me." Sassi nodded, reluctantly taking her glove from her hand and gripping Aerith's.

"Anyone with Jenova cells better get the hell out of here!" Sassi shouted as loudly as she could. She definitely didn't want Loz caught in this, let alone anyone else.

"Got it!" Yazoo answered. Sephiroth and the Remnants rushed from their cover, heading for the manor where they were better protected, each letting out hissing sounds of pain as the rain that already fell threatened to eat away at their skin.

"Okay," Aerith said. "You need to listen. Hear the Lifestream. Feel its power. Connect to it, let it in. You can't fight it. I know its scary, I know its hard to stop yourself from fighting when it invades your body, but you have to trust it. It is everything. The darkness, the light, the weakness and the power. Life, and death. We are the Guardians of the Lifestream. Let it in."

Sassi nodded, terrified of the power that was flooding her body.

That's it, child. Let us help you. Let us rid the worlds of this evil once and for all!

Sassi felt the thrill of light and power flow from her body and into Aerith, and all at once, the sweet rain began to pound harder, falling in sheets that were impossible to see through.

Jenova let out a roar of pain, thrashing in the mud. It was over, her time had come.

!@#$%^&*()

Michael watched from the window of the manor, awed at the proof of this group's power. He was so lost in the awesome spectacle that he didn't realize he was no longer alone, until he felt the barrel of a gun jammed against the back of his head. 

He hunched his shoulders, dropping his gun and slowly raising his hands.

"Who are you?" A male voice hissed. 

"Michael Wilford. I'm a detective from Seattle, Washington. I came here for Sassafrass Flint and Lilith Maddox. But not anymore. Lets just calm down. I'm going to reach into my jacket and remove my other gun, okay?" Michael said, heart pounding.

"Don't touch it. Turn around." his captor said.

Michael nodded and slowly turned around, eyes going wide at the sight before him.

Four men, all with deathly pale skin, blazing green-and-yellow cat eyes, silver hair in different lengths, and mean looking weapons. The man with the second longest hair held a wicked looking hand gun in his face.

"Loz." He said. The man with the shortest hair-Loz, he now knew-nodded and stepped toward him, roughly patting him down and removing his second pistol.

"Look, I told you, I'm not here for them anymore. I came to take them back to be charged, but after all that I've seen... I think I can over look it. You guys overpowered me, and got away." Michael reasoned.

"What made you change your mind?" The smallest man said.

"Well... I was in the forest, and saw them fighting who they said was Hojo, and when I stepped out to help, Flint told me to run. She was worried that I'd be killed. Criminals don't normally think that way."

The man with the longest hair nodded. "Yes, there is a fine line between legally criminal, and morally criminal. Those girls are not criminals. You have no idea the chaos that would cover this planet if that creature out there was ever given the chance to gather her power."

"Who are you?" Michael asked, stil nervous.

They all stepped forward. "I'm sure you could guess, but he is Loz." The one holding the gun stated. "I am Yazoo, that is Kadaj, and that is Sephiroth."

Michael nodded. "What happens now?"

Yazoo gave him a critical look. "I'm sure you can understand that we cannot simply let you go. It's too risky."

"But the Gardai-"

"Are under control. We have our connections."

"Cormac Brennan." Michael deadpanned. "I should have known. Heh."

"You know him?" Kadaj said, stepping forward. Of all of them, Michael could feel that this one was the most unstable.

"Not really. When I arrived, he pulled out the International red tape and 'couldn't' tell me anything."

Kadaj smirked, the look sending chills down Michael's spine. "Good man." With that, the Remnant rushed Michael, using a combination of impressive submission techniques to force him to the ground, taking the curtain ties that Loz offered and tying the man to the corner of the fireplace.

A great, Earth-shaking roar echoed through the manor, and the four rushed to the window.

Jenova had been reduced to one-quarter her size, the skeletal, gooey mass still quivering in the puddle of her own blood.

Screams that were positively demonic erupted from the beast, her very bones melting, allowing gravity to pull the rest of her body to the ground.

Horrible hissing sounded from the puddle of flesh, the shrieking dying down to nothing, leaving an eerie silence that sent a chilled mixture of emptiness and joy through the Remnants.

Kadaj breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in years, he felt in control of his own destiny again. Even the healing rain had somehow washed the artificial color out of their hair! They were themselves again... but not, at the same time.

"This is the Me I was always supposed to be..." He unknowingly whispered aloud. 

The other three slaves of Jenova nodded, agreeing. Each let out a cleansing breath as the rain trickled off to nothing, leaving only a dark spot on the ground where the body of Jenova used to stand.


	45. Out of the Fireplace and Into the Fire

Chapter 45

"Aiya!" Harmony hissed as Kadaj gingerly peeled the make-shift bandage from her side. "That stings!"

"Sorry." He said calmly, though inside he was seething. Fucking Jenova! He had to fight not to physically blanch at the sight of the ragged and still-bleeding wound. "Couldn't Aerith's rain heal this?"

"I didn't give it time. I was too busy fighting. As far as I was concerned, as long as I could move, it was good enough." Harmony answered through gritted teeth as Kadaj poked and prodded at the tear in her side.

"Well, what about now?" Kadaj asked.

"Do you have any idea how exhausted they are? Sassi really shouldn't have helped. Even though it was necessary, that much strain could have caused a problem. In the fist term of a pregnancy, you have to be really careful."

Kadaj nodded. "Well, what do I need to do?"

Harmony looked away, knowing that he would not like this, not one bit.

"I need someone to come and stitch it. My magic is exhausted, and so is Sassi's, and God, Aerith's even worse off. Who knew that a little thing like her packed such a powerful punch?"

"Focus." Kadaj prodded, waiting for her to explain why she wanted someone else to come to the estate and stitch it, so that he could tell her how crazy that suggestion was.

"Right. Sorry. Cormac knows someone at the hospital here. No one here is sticking a needle into my skin without some serious anesthetics." She hurried to finish when it looked like Kadaj would argue.

Kadaj thought for a moment, not really liking his idea much more than hers... but at least his would keep more outsiders from entering the estate. It had been hard enough dealing with the Irish government. He could see why they chose to do what they did, but still would have prefered to just take them out. That way, they knew for sure that they wouldn't have to worry about being attacked.

{Flashback}

"Ye can't be serious, Garda Brennan. Ye've lost yer mind!" A man called from the group surrounding Cormac.

He hated doing this- exposing powers that he had sworn to protect with his very life -but he saw no other way to get his Little Bird and her Guardian out of this situation. He only hoped this lot was as superstitious as they appeared.

"Ye've seen the bleedin' proof yerselves!" Cormac shouted. "Ye've all heard the legends, the stories our Grandda's used to tell about the Guardians, and the Ancient ones! Ye saw the power those two women have! Ye saw Ha-... Maddox react when Miss Sassi was taken! What more do ye need?!"

The group was silent, each man thinking about what they had heard.

"Now," Cormac said, "I'm going to get Sassi to lower the barrier, and I'm going in alone. Got it?"

"What will that accomplish?" Another voice called from the crowd.

"Well, will ye believe me if I can ask her to show ye?"

The men looked at eachother, Colin Doyle stepping forward. "If ye can prove that she is what you say, and that this isn't some elaborate hoax, we'll talk." The others nodded, even the military officials standing behind them.

"Fine." Cormac agreed. He walked to the gate, stopping only when he felt the crackle of power warning him to stay away.

"Sassi! Let me in!" He called, watching the girl stand from her prone position. They had watched for long minutes after the entire group beyond the gate fell to their knees, overwhelmed by the battle, and the fact that against the odds, they had won.

"Only you!" Sassi called back, eyeing the other officers warily.

"Only me." Cormac confirmed.

Sassi focused her energy on removing the barrier, the spell taking almost all of the little energy she had left. Loz caught her as she stumbled unsteadily on legs that were too tired.

The barrier exploded in a flash of white, everyone in the area feeling their hair stand on end at the jolt of power that was gone as quickly as it came.

Cormac slowly approached the group, not sure how to break it to his niece that he had broken the oath he swore to his adopted father.

"I need ye to do something for me." He decided on.

"What's that?" Sassi asked, her voice betraying her exhaustion.

Cormac hesitated. "I... I'm so sorry, Little Bird... I had to do it... It was the only way to get them to leave ye alone!" He started.

"What?" Sassi asked, feeling dread fill her.

"I told them what ye and Harmony are."

Sassi stared blankly, trying to wrap her mind around that statement. "You... You exposed us?!"

"I had to! They were going to take ye! Ye know I can't let that happen!"

Sassi sighed. Although angry, she had not the strength to become enraged enough that she couldn't see his reasoning. "What do I have to do?" She asked, resigned.

"They know the stories of the Guardians and their Ancient ones. They want ye to show them something that proves ye are one. Ye have to understand," He rushed before Loz could interrupt him, "to these men and women, ye are just a story. Just a fairytale that our families told us when we were children. But, superstitious lot that they are, they have agreed. One display of yer power, and they'll believe what we say ye are."

Sassi cast a glance at Harmony, catching her eye and beckoning her over.

"What's wrong?" Harmony gasped out. Now that the battle was over and the adrenaline rush had ended, the pain in her side had become nearly unbearable.

"They know what we are, and they want a demonstration." Sassi said, simply.

Harmony stared at Sassi, the resigned look on her face, her slumped shoulders. "I'll go along with whatever you decide is right. I trust you." Harmony said honestly.

"Don't put this all on me!" Sassi pleaded.

"Sass. Listen to me. Whatever you decide, you know that I would never think less of you for it. You do what you think is right. I'm behind you, always." Harmony said, laying her hands on Sassi's shoulders and forcing her to see the honesty and loyalty that she held for her, and her alone.

She turned to Cormac, and gave him a nod. "Alright. We'll do it." And with that, the two women left Loz standing there, worried beyond all comprehension, and walked through the gate.

!@#$%^&*()

"Sweet Mother Mary!" Colin Doyle breathed at the glowing forms before him. Flint and Maddox were both surrounded by light, one silver, and one a misty green. He and the others had watched in awe as both women rose from the ground, appearing to levitate, and were surrounded by the Earthly elements. He backed away frantically when Flint reached for him, Cormac stopping his retreat with a warm smile.

"She will na' hurt ye. Let her."

Doyle gulped, but stood his ground, allowing the small redhead to place her soft skinned palm against his cheek, the images taking over his mind. He saw every moment of his life, and hers flash behind his tightly closed eyes. He felt her power flowing through him, and the warmth and life that accompanied it. Gasping, Sassi yanked away from him.

"Is he okay?" She managed, before her exhaustion won out and she collapsed into the worried Harmony's arms.

"Stop!" She ordered the men that moved toward them. "She's fine! You cannot even imagine the strain that it puts on us to have to use these powers so soon after that battle. We just saved your asses, you saw it all, and you still wanted proof! Well there it is! Ask your friend!"

All eyes turned to the panting Garda. "Its true!" His quivering voice called. "She... she showed me... everything! That creature... She'd have... and they... and the power..." he blubbered. He rolled to his knees, flattening his robust body to the muddy ground.

"Lady Guardian. Forgive me." Harmony could sense his terror, and watched with heart-stopping shock as every man and woman around them lowered to their knees in reverance.

"Stop." Harmony said. "Get up. Yes, I'm a Guardian. The last blood-born Guardian in the world. But I am not God, and neither is Sassi. You kneel before God, and God alone!"

If their show of power didn't convince the group, then Harmony's insistance that they not be worshipped did.

It was silent for a moment, until Loz could no longer stand watching from the distance, recruiting Kadaj -who gasped in horror at realizing where Harmony was- and quickly joining the group.

"Peace!" Kadaj said, trying not to sound as angry as he was. This situation was very delicate. "We're just here to take her inside!"

Loz anxiously lifted the unconsious Sassi, giving Harmony a worried look. 

"I'm okay." She assured him. "Get her inside. She shouldn't be out here in her condition."

Loz nodded and left quickly, Kadaj remaining behind and placing himself between the Garda and Harmony.

Harmony's hand on his shoulder clamed him a bit, but his eyes still darted around anxiously, alert to any impending attack.

"What happens now?" She asked, timid.

"Well, I don't know about the rest o' ye, but I cannot find it in me to imprison and betray two of the most precious creatures in existence." Cormac said, the hint very clear in his voice. "The legend started in Ire. Its our duty to protect our own, aye?"

For a moment, few spoke, only a few soft 'aye's drifting from the crowd, and then the sound became more solid, as more and more confirmed their agreement.

"No one can know of this!' Harmony said, her voice strong. "You already know how bad it would be."

"We'll swear it!" One man called. 

Harmony shook her head. "That's not enough. I'm sorry. I will only accept a blood oath."

Again, silence festered, before one very young Garda stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Lady Guardian, I am Kian. What do I have to do?"

{End Flashback}

"Well," Kadaj said, "I don't think its a good idea to bring other people into this. You guys, Seven Hells, all of us are damned lucky that they believed you. The only one left is that Detective... anyway... I have an idea."

"What?" Harmony asked, her breath hitching as the throbbing in her side started up again.

Kadaj only smiled, standing and telling her not to move.

Harmony watched in confusion as he left the room. 'What the hell is he up to?'

!@#$%^&*()

"I'm pregnant." Sassi whispered to Loz as they lay in their bed.

"I know." Loz said, smiling. "I knew yesterday." 

He really should have thought that through...

"WHAT?!" Sassi screeched, bolting upright and slamming a fist against Loz's rock hard chest. She pulled her hand back, wringing the injured appendage as she continued her rant.

"You knew?! You fucking knew?! And you didn't say anything? What the hell, Loz? 'Oh, Sassi's pregnant, lets see how long it takes her to figure it out, doesn't matter how dangerous her situation is. Its not something she needs to know!' You-you-you! You jerk!"

Loz grabbed Sassi's arms as she tried to pull away from him.

"Hey! We were trying to protect you! We knew how stressed you were, and wanted to wait until things had calmed down before throwing this on you!"

"Protect me. HA. I am so sick of everyone protecting me! I get it with Harmony, and I appreciate it, but I don't need it from you!" She growled, struggling to free herself.

"Well too bad! You're my woman, now, and I'm going to protect you!" Loz shouted right back.

"Your woman. Your woman?! What, I'm a piece of property now? I don't need your fucking-"

Loz smashed his lips to hers with brutal force, pulling away quickly and smirking as she sputtered. "That shut you up." He said.

Sassi gaped, then glared. "Oh, you sonofabitch!" With that, she slipped her leg behind his, effectively tripping him as she pushed him, causing both of them to crash to the floor. With an angry hiss and a punch to the gut, she fell to him, crashing her mouth to his and digging her fingers into his shoulders.

!@#$%^&*()

"Hahaha it tickles!" Harmony slurred, waving the bottle of whiskey around wildly.

"Kadaj, you have to hold her still or I can't finish!" Tifa warned. 

Brilliant idea: Get Harmony so drunk that she wouldn't feel it if Jenova herself socked her in the face.

Result: Epic victory.

"I'm trying! Gods, she's a strong drunk!"

"Tha's 'cuz whiskey is to the Irish as Spinach is to...*hic*... ... I'm Irish, you know? I thought I was Romanian, but that was just my parents trying to hide it from me. Those bastards!" Harmony said, the seriousness of her tone forcing everyone to fight their smiles.

"Yeah yeah, its great stuff. Hold still, Hari. Tifa's almost finished." Kadaj soothed.

Harmony nodded, a wobbly movement, and stilled.

A few minutes passed, and then Tifa sat up, cracking her spine with a groan. "Done." She sighed. "Now we just have to keep checking it and keep it clean. After that battle, it would be really awful if infection did her in."

Kadaj shuddered, and agreed. "Alright. I'll take her to our room." He leaned over Harmony. "Hari? Hari, I'm going to take you to our room, now. Don't puke on me."

"Oh! Kadaj!" Harmony exclaimed. "When did you get here?! I missed you!"

Kadaj rolled his eyes as she rambled on.

"I love you, you know. I know you were all jealous of Sassi and stuff, but you shouldn't be. I love her, too. But I love love you. You know, if I didn't think that the whole world would implode and life itself would be deroy... desryo... If I didn't think bad things would happen, I would totally not have a problem leaving with you."

"Your tongue loosens up a lot when you get this drunk. I'll remember that." Kadaj chuckled, laying her down once they reached their room.

"You remember everything! That's cause *hic* you're a smart cookie!"

And with that, the giggles ceased, her eyes slammed closed, and the alcohol took hold of the young witch, light snoring being the only sound filling the room. 

Kadaj smiled softly. He quietly removed his clothes- even though he was sure that a stampeding herd of rabid chocobo couldn't wake his love, at this point- and climbed into bed beside her.

!@#$%^&*()

"I take back most of my chastising about your anger management skills." Sassi said to Harmony as she cleaned and changed her bandaged side.

"Not so loud!" Harmony complained. "I'm going to kill him." She muttered. "What are you talking about?"

"Well... as I'm sure you expected... Loz and I had a discussion last night..."

"And you lost your temper and whacked him one, and then fucked his brains out, right?" Harmony chuckled, regretting it as her stomach rebelled at the jostling motion.

"How the hell did you know that?!" Sassi asked, shocked.

Harmony snorted. "Because its exactly what I would do."

Unbeknownst to the two women in the room, two Remnants waited quietly outside the door.

"She... she said she'd fuck me too..." Loz gasped.

Kadaj rolled his eyes and sighed at Loz's ignorance. "Dear, naive brother: You are an idiot."


	46. An Act of Betrayal

Chapter 46

"How was your flight?" Colleen asked politely as she helped Austin carry his bags to his room.

"It was long." Austin said with a small smile. "How long did you say you've worked for the family?"

The old woman smiled softly, nostalgic. "Just about forty years now. After Master Flint and the Lady Guardian died, we were charged with keeping the Manor until Miss Sassi decided to come home."

Austin nodded. He was interested in this new developement with his apprentice. "What can you tell me about Guardians?"

"Not much, I'm afraid. Only that I never saw Lady Clarise away from Master Shannon."

Austin nodded. "I see. Well, thank you for helping us settle in. When did you say Sassi and Harmony would be back?"

"Oh, the dears just went to Drombeg. Little Bird was looking for something, I think, but I don't know what. I'd say maybe an hour and they should be back. They left early, and said to expect them at dusk."

"Thank you." 

Colleen nodded and closed the door behind her. All these powerful people were so strange. But, she supposed, it certainly made her life interesting.

!@#$%^&*()

"And then I was all like 'Hiya! Take that old man!' and my Dad was all 'Oh, Yuffie! You beat me! You are the Greatest Ninja Ever!!!'" Yuffie said, waving her arms about.

Michael chuckled. The two were in the kitchen, Yazoo having finally-although grudgingly-untied the detective. He had sworn never to repeat what he saw, but refused to take a blood-oath. He didn't need to sign a contract in blood that would kill him if he ever even thought about breaking it. They'd just have to trust him.

"And then you became a true ninja?" He asked. This young woman amused him. He'd been shocked to hear that she was a princess in her own world- even though he was still having trouble believing that part of it... He'd seen so much in the past week, people from a different dimension really wasn't all that odd, compared to the other things. Though he had to admit... he was slightly miffed that they would not allow him to leave, and that 'Yazoo' he sneered the name in his head, had taken it upon himself to assign a guard to him at all times.

"Yep!" Yuffie answered his question cheerfully. "That's me! The Single White Rose of Wutai!"

"So when do you become queen, or empress, or whatever?" Michael asked, trying to make conversation.

"I become Empress whenever I feel like it. Godo-that's my dad-can't force me to accept it until I'm ready."

Michael nodded at the enthusiastic ninja. She really was sweet, underneath the obnoxiousness. 'Figures.' He thought, 'I find a girl that I like and she's from a different world. Literally. One she'll be going back to in just over a week.'

He finished his meal and stood, smirking ruefully as Yuffie's eyes sharpened to follow his every move.

"So, do you fight?" She asked suddenly.

Michael gave her a thoughtful look as he sat back down. "You mean like you do? No. Nothing fancy, just the basics they teach us when we join the force."

"Fight me."

"What?! No way! You'd kick my ass for sure!"

"You don't know that, and there's only one way to find out."

Sure enough, she was pulverising him. He was currently hunched over, hands on his knees and panting. The sweat poured off of his angular face, starting at the tip of a dark eyebrow to drip from a determined jaw. He could see Yuffie out of the corner of his eye, and hear her gloating laughter.

"Is that all you've got? That's pathetic!" She crowed.

"You're gonna think 'pathetic' when I beat you into the grass!" Michael growled back.

Yuffie chuckled and skipped to him, sticking her leg behind his and tripping him. She stood over him, giggling. "How are you going to do that? You can't even-Ah!"

With a quick shot of his leg, Michael knocked Yuffie's foot from under her, the clumsy ninja losing her already fragile balance and toppling onto him.

Yuffie lay shocked for a moment before pushing herself up on her hands and scowling at him. The glare slowly faded as she took in his features. His eyes were crystal blue-even more so than Cloud's eyes- and his jaw was sharp. His nose was the most prominent feature, not crooked, but not straight. It had obviously been broken at one point in his life. Along his jaw she could see the faint shadow filling in from him not shaving that day.

'Hey... He's kind of hot... Leviathan!' She thought, scrambling off of him and trying desperately to hide her furiously blushing cheeks.

"Come on. Lets get back inside. Its getting dark, and the other's will be back soon. His Royal Femi-ness will be mad if he finds out I let you outside."

Michael sighed and nodded, standing and hurrying to follow her.

"You're good." Yuffie called over her shoulder. "You have potential. Too bad I don't have time to turn you into a proper ninja."

'Yeah,' Michael thought, watching the sway of Yuffie's hips as she walked in front of him. 'It really is.'

!@#$%^&*()

"That must be their rental. They beat us." Harmony said as the group blinked into existence. She lost her balance and plopped down to the ground, thanking Kadaj when he smirked and helped her to her feet.

"I thought they might." Sassi said. "We did stay a full hour longer than we planned." She wobbled slightly, still light-headed after blinking so many people back and forth.

"Well lets get inside! I can't wait to see what color Celeste's hair is this week." Harmony giggled.

They found most of the coven in the Garden behind the estate, enjoying the mild weather and beautiful yellow flowers that had bloomed-despite the season-where Aerith and Sassi's Cetran Gospel had obliterated Jenova.

"Hey guys!" Harmony called out, smiling as the group all jumped to their feet and surrounded herself and Sassi.

"Are you okay?!"

"I sense massive power!"

"Did you find out how to send them home?"

Those were just a few of the many questions they were bombarded with.

"Guys... Guys! Calm down! Lets go inside. Where's Austin?" Sassi said, pushing her way through her coven to get to the sliding doors.

"Oh, he found a box in the library with lots of scrolls in it, and wanted to look through it. He said you wouldn't mind." JoDee said, pointing to the library inside the manor.

Sassi felt a wave of discomfort fill her and slowly made her way into the library.

"Austin?" She called. 

"Ah, Sassi. Good to see you again. How do you feel?" The older man asked.

"I'm fine." Sassi answered uneasily.

"And this difference in power?"

"It'll take some getting used to, but I'm okay. What are you doing with my scrolls?"

"Oh, I was just looking through the instructions on how to conduct the ritual to open the gate. Is that a problem?" His tone dared her to deny him.

'This is why they never should have elected him High Priest. He abuses it.' Sassi thought. "No, of course not. There are just some... personal things in there. Letters from my grandfather and such." She said.

"Oh. Well, don't worry. I didn't look through any of those," Austin said, "I just looked at the scrolls that talked about the portal."

Sassi nodded. "Well, now that we're all here, we can start memorizing the spell. If you'll hand me the box, I'll go and gather the others and I can tell you all what we found at Drombeg."

Austin smiled and placed the scroll he was holding back inside the box, closing the lid and handing the wooden container to Sassi.

"Lead the way then."

!@#$%^&*()

"Wow this is so cool!" Melissa said, looking at the photos Sassi had taken. The screen of Sassi's computer showed an infrared image of the stone ground of Drombeg. The infrared lens Sassi had used showed hundreds of bright red lines criss-crossing back and forth, invisible to the naked eye.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, leaning forward for a closer look.

"Ley lines." Sassi answered. When the non-magical members of the group gave her a perplexed look, she turned to Harmony for help in explaining.

"Each line is like an energy highway." Harmony said, feeling an air of nostalgia hit her. She had just explained ley lines to her students a few days before the men found her. "Normally, you can't see them. You have to have a deep-set psychic power to see them without technological help. That's why Sassi knew exactly where to look and what to photograph. Retro-cognitive Psychometry is a psychic gift. Think of each line as a super-heated highway of spiritual energy, and where they collide is like an intersection. Which is why when Tseng stood at the center of the circle, he could feel his hair standing on end. The intersections are where the energy collides and bleeds into this world."

"So its like a path to a different dimension." Genesis said.

"Yes, exactly." Sassi said.

"So at all of the portals around the world, the ground will look like this? And you see this all the time?" Rufus asked Sassi.

"Yes. You learn to ignore it, unless it's needed. They won't hurt you. As a matter of fact, if you stand at an intersection and stay there, your power will be magnified by a significant amount. If you stay on that spot."

"Interesting." He nodded.

"So when we cast the spell," Celeste started, "It will charge the ley lines to the point that they burst, and the explosion of power will create a tear in the inter-dimensional barrier... allowing the portal to open, and you all to coss over to your world."

The group nodded their understanding.

"There's something else we wanted to talk to you about." Sassi said, her voice suddenly sounding timid. "You remember what you read about the Guardians and Cetra not being originally of this world? Well... Harmony and I think we know the real reason these guys were sent here. We think that the Lifestream decided that it was time for the two powers to return home. THey came here for us, guys. For Harmony and me."

The coven wore shocked expressions. "That makes so much sense..." A small Native American woman whispered. "The powers that be do just send people to different worlds to learn a lesson. If they died in their world, the lesson should be considered learned."

"Does this mean what I think it means?" Austin asked, "That you and Harmony will be going back with them?"

"Yes." Harmony said, her voice strong. "The power came from that world. It was sent here to be protected from the Evil that was Jenova. Now that Jenova is gone, the power must be returned. I don't like the idea of leaving. I fear that in doing so, we are upsetting the balance of their world. But as a Guardian-which is something none of you could ever understand, no offense-if Sassi leaves, I follow."

"So you would abandon your coven?" Austin said, becoming angry.

"We are not abandoning you. There are two apprentices just waiting for an opening. They're ready to become true members of the coven." Sassi reasoned.

"This is insanity!" Austin shouted. "You two are our most powerful members! You cannot just leave! Think of what we could do now that the power has been unsealed?! We could... Gods... We could rule everything! We could force peace! The wars would end, famine and hatred and sickness would cease to exist! We could be Gods! The Saviours of the Earth! And you want to just leave?!"

Every person in the room stared in absolute shock at Austin's outburst.

"Austin!" Sassi chastised, "That is not what this is about! Having this power isn't about glory or even the power itself! As High Priest you should know that! The people don't know about us for a reason! We protect from the shadows... as it should be! Glory. Fame. Power. To give into these is to open the path to darkness, you know that!"

"And what of protecting this world?!" He hissed.

"How are we supposed to protect the very world that is hunting us?!" Harmony snapped. "Sassi and I can never set foot into the United States again! We're being hunted like animals! And if they find us, what then? Our powers will be exposed, and the safety and integrity of this very coven will be compromised! We'll be nothing more than labrats! They'll stick us in underground cells. Poke, prod, and torture us in the name of science and power! Think of Hojo. How many would be willing to do just as he did?"

Austin's shoulders slumped. "You're right." He said. "I'm sorry. I just hoped that we could use this power to better the world."

Sassi's eyes softened. "Austin, I understand that. But you have to think of this: A lot of evil things were done in the name of peace. I'm not saying what you want is evil, but you know what I mean. Think of the chaos that would rain onto the Earth if we made it okay for others like us to openly use their power..."

Austin nodded. "I get it. I'm sorry. Let's move on."

"Alright." Sassi nodded, sensing that it was probably a good idea to change the subject. She grabbed a stack of papers and began handing them to Harmony, the brunette witch then passing them out to the other ten members of the coven.

"We've made copies and translated the spell, so we all know what we're asking the Gods for. The spell will have to be done in Gaelic, though, and Sassi and I will work with all of you that do not speak Gaelic over the next two weeks. We can't afford any mistakes, and one mispronounciation could destroy the whole spell."

The others nodded, still on edge about the argument that had just taken place.

"Well," A small blonde, Jennifer, spoke up, "where do we start?"

Harmony smiled. "We'll start with the spell. Five of you come with me, and the others go with Sassi. We'll start working on pronounciation right now."

!@#$%^&*()

"This is a beautiful spell." Harmony said to Kadaj as they settled into their bed for the night.

"I wouldn't know." He said with a smile. "I don't speak Gaelic. And I wouldn't dare risk Sassi's wrath by trying to sneak a peak."

"Sarcasm is unbecoming." Harmony giggled. "Here..." She reached over and picked up the piece of paper with the spell written on it, showing it to him. "It says 'Life in two. Merge, combine. Allow a cross. Energy to entwine. Where once was closed, shall now unwind, Earth and Gaia, a path we bind."

"Say it in Gaelic." Kadaj said, his eyes closed. She was right, it was rather beautiful. She did as he asked. "I like it better in Gaelic. Will you talk to me in Gaelic?"

Harmony smiled. "What do you want me to say?"

"Anything you want."

"Okay... Is breá liom tú, Kadaj. Shíl mé riamh ba mhaith liom a fháil riamh duine éigin a bheith leis. Grá dom scanraithe. Ach ansin tháinig tú chomh maith, agus bhris tú dom amach as mo phríosún. Éigean leat mé a fheiceann tú. Chun mian leat. Agus is féidir liom. Cé go bhfuil eagla orm an méid a luíonn níos faide ná an geata, tá áthas orm go rachaidh mé chun aghaidh é a bhfuil tú ag mo thaobh." She said.

"What does it mean?" Kadaj asked, half asleep.

Harmony took a deep breath. It was easy enough to say it to him in Gaelic... But now, faced with saying it to him in a language he would understand, she was shying away.

Kadaj chuckled at her silence. "That bad, huh? Okay. You don't have to tell me."

Harmony smiled bashfully and lay down beside him, wrapping him in her arms and snuggling into his warmth. "Good night, Kadaj."

"'Night." He slurred.

Harmony listened to his breath for a long while. When the heartbeat thudding in her ear slowed and his breath leveled out, she whispered against his skin, softly.

"I love you, Kadaj. I never thought I would ever find someone to be with. Love scared me. But then you came along, and you broke me out of my prison. You forced me to see you. To want you. And I do. Although I am afraid of what lies beyond the gate, I am happy that I get to face it with you by my side."

As her eyes drifted closed, she didn't notice the small smile that played across the Remnant's face, nor did she feel his arms tighten around her as she drifted off.

!@#$%^&*()

Loz stared at Sassi as she sat reading at the kitchen table. Her reading glasses sat low on her nose, giving her a sweet, yet sultry look. He watched her nibble her bottom lip in thought every now and again. He watched her brush stray strands of hair out of her face.

She was carrying his child. He'd created life. In a lifetime filled with pain and death, he'd created something good. They'd created it. He'd never thought to tie himself down, and even when he met Sassi, he liked her, sure. But he wasn't looking to love her. He wasn't even sure if he did. But, he did know that he wouldn't mind sticking around to find out.

"You wanna get married? We should get married." He blurted, suddenly.

Sassi froze and her shocked eyes found his. She stared hard for a minute, and then smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay. Sure. Why not?"

!@#$%^&*()

"So you'll let me go once you guys are back in your world?" Michael asked. He sat on Sassi's grandfather's desk in the library, Yazoo standing before him attempting to intimidate the detective. It was working.

"Yes." He drawled. "When we're safe on the other side and you can no longer get to Sassi and Hari."

"And what about my job?"

Yazoo smirked, a cruel look adorning his features. This was playing out perfectly. With any luck, after he showed Michael the file he found, they'd never have to worry about him opening his mouth to anyone. "I'll leave your explanations to you. Look." He turned Sassi's monitor toward Michael, clicking the mouse and starting the photo that was open on the screen.

It was a Michael's Detective ID card, and underneath was written the most horrifying thing Michael had ever read.

"Michael Wilford, twenty-nine. Wanted for violating International and Federal Laws, and aiding and abetting wanted criminals. If seen, please contact the Seattle Police, or call the FBI tip line at..."

"Shit!" Michael hissed. "Oh God this is bad... this is bad this is bad this is bad!" He chanted, his face in his hands. "What the fuck do I do now? They'll never believe me!"

"I have a suggestion." Yazoo said, chuckling internally. Oh yes. Dangle the bait and wait for the bite.

"And what is that?" Came Michael's muffled reply.

"Come with us. That way, you escape prosecution, and we know that you can't harm the rest of Harmony and Sassi's coven. We both win."

Michael stared at him. "How do you know that I don't have family, or a wife waiting for me?"

Yazoo snorted. "Please. If you have a wife, you're a bastard because I see the way you look at Kisaragi."

'Damn. Busted.' Michael thought. "And what if I say no? You gonna kill me?"

"Of course not. But the coven might not be as willing to just let you leave. They'll modify your memory, and you'll spend the rest of your life in an asylum... the trauma from what you've seem making it impossible to remember-or repeat-anything you saw here." Yazoo knew that the coven would never do that to Michael... but Michael didn't know that.

"So what you're saying is that I have no choice." Michael growled.

"Of course you do. I'm just tossing it out there." Yazoo stood from his pose leaning against the desk and began walking from the room. halfway there he stopped, turning his head and speaking softly, so as to be sure that Michael was listening. "The decision is yours, Mr. Wilford."

!@#$%^&*()

"I can't believe you're still going on about this!" JoDee cried. "You know that you can't force them to stay! Its a violation of everything that we believe!"

"Can you really, in good conscience, allow those women to just up and leave? They are the world's greatest chance at Utopia! That's what we fight for, right? We keep the demons, the beasties in the night, from harming innocent people. We keep the Mother as happy as we can, but you all know how angry she is becoming! I say we force them to stay and do their duty! All of them, including the other one... that... Aerith or whatever her name is." Austin hissed.

"You have lost your ever-lovin' mind!" Melissa quipped. "I won't go along with this!"

"Oh? You'll disobey your High Priest?" Austin asked.

"Damn straight!" Celeste joined in.

"Then you will be cast out." Austin said darkly.

"No they won't!" Came the enraed voice from the doorway.

Austin whirled around to find Sassi and Harmony standing in the doorway to the guest house, every one of their travellers behind them. "And who are you to say? You are not High Priestess."

"I move... for an emergency re-election. Austin Grier is no longer fit to leave the coven." Sassi said, her voice quivering with rage.

"I second the motion." Jennifer yelled.

Harmony nodded. "As The High Priest's apprentice, I call for a vote. All those in favor of stripping the power of our Priest say 'aye'."

"Aye!" The chorus was deafening.

And then the worst thing that could have happened, did.

"I call Austin Griers to stand and face me!" JoDee said.

Austin scoffed still in shock at the rapid change of direction.

"What?" He snapped.

"I accuse you... of betrayal against two members of your own coven."

The entire group gasped and held their breath.

"What?" Elena asked, breaking the silence. "Why is that so bad?"

"Because it means he'll be killed." Harmony whispered back. "The only situation in which it is considered not only acceptable... but necessary to take life in our faith. If a member betrays the coven, the coven will kill you."

"Everyone!" Sassi breathed, "Out. Anyone whom is not a member of the Coven of Moon, leave this room, immediately. I call for a trial." She turned to Harmony. "I am so sorry to put you in this position, but as the Apprentice to the High Priest, this duty falls to you."

Harmony nodded, resigned and despairing. Within the next few hours, she might have to order the execution of a person she had once idolized and loved as a brother.


	47. Dealing with Decisions

Chapter 47

"Tell me how I have betrayed you!" Austin demanded from the center of the circle the coven had formed around him.

"Apprentice, may I speak?" Celeste asked.

Harmony nodded. "Speak."

"You, Austin, have attempted to force two coven members to use their power for your own agenda. You want glory and polotical power, as is obvious from your words and actions. You have abused your power as High Priest time and time again, but this has gone too far. Not only did you try to force them, you tried to turn their entire coven against them. Diana frowns upon these covetous ways. I fear that you cannot be stopped, and as a member of this coven, standing against you, I admit that I fear your wrath, and power."

"You traitorous-" Austin snarled.

"Silence!" Harmony shouted. She waited for Austin to calm before speaking again. "Does anyone else have anything to add?"

"I would like to speak, Apprentice." A Native American man, Jonathan, said. "I have only been a member of this coven for a year, but I have seen the signs. This has been a long time coming. With every meeting, Austin showed that he desired power and acknowlegement. He has never been happy in the shadows. He desires the creation of Utopia, but does not understand that 'Utopia' can never exist. You cannot have light wothout the darkness, and cannot have peace without war. Fighting is Human Nature. To even attempt to recruit any member of the coven to his cause, he betrays not only us, but the Mother, herself. To force ourselves on the world, to steal command and demand to be obeyed, would be causing harm to the world. That is the one rule that cannot be broken! Even in these proceedings, we are breaking the rede. Diana forgives us after our price is paid, because we do what we must to protect not only the coven, but the innocent people throughout this world. But to attempt to do what Austin has... is unforgivable. We cannot trust that he will never do it again. I know that you are torn on this, and that trail like this do not often happen in out faith... But you know what must be done."

Harmony fought back tears at the young man's speech. After a few moments of soft sniffles and hiding her face in her hands, she raised her head, a determined, yet sad look gracing her features. She looked at Sassi and felt her encouragement, and trust. She trusted Harmony to make the right decision for the well-being of the entire coven, and she could not betray them by ignoring it. 'Selfless duty calls for you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs.' She remembered hearing in a movie once. She hadn't understood it then. Not really. But she did now. She nodded her head and stood.

"I have made my decision, by the authority granted me by my fellow coven members. This decision has not been reached lightly, as we al understand what we ourselves must suffer to do this." She took a deep breath and steeled herself for the denial and pleading that would no doubt issue from the ex-High Priest. "I hereby find you, Austin Griers, disgraced High Priest of the Coven of Moon, First coven in the Western Clan, guilty of the act of betrayal. You know the punishment of this crime and that it must be done. Diana forgive us this grievous sin. Death."

"No!" Austin screamed as the barrier around him warped and shifted, becoming glowing shackles around his hands and feet. "You can't do this to me! I trained you! I made you as powerful as you are! You'd be nothing without me! All of you! You'd all be-"

His screaming was cut off as the door closed behind the last of the coven to leave the room. The nine women and two men looked at eachother sadly.

The tall, dark haired man spoke up. "If you will inform your guests, Sassi, I will begin the preparations."

Sassi nodded, choking back her tears. "Thank you, Chris. It has to be ready by dusk. You have maybe an hour."

"I know. Harmony? Do you need help creating the glamour?"

Harmony shook her head, the rest of her body shaking as well. "No. I can create a barrier that no one can see or hear through with ease."

"Well then," Sassi started, laying her hand on Harmony's shoulder. Harmony looked at her and took a deep breath, nodding her head.

"So mote it be." She finished.

!@#$%^&*()

"So what will happen?" Kadaj asked as Harmony rushed to don her black robes over her clothes. The travellers were all jammed into Sassi's room, the other coven members off readying themselves for probably the darkest thing they would ever have to do. Sassi was angry, yet relieved that because of her pregnancy, she could not take part in the punishment, therefore she could not take part in the execution itself. She could only bare witness along with those from Gaia.

"He'll be executed at dusk." Harmony said, her voice lacking any emotion. "As his apprentice, I am acting High Priestess until another can be appointed. I have to do it." Her voice shuddered on a sob.

Kadaj stopped her shaking hands, moving behind her to tie her pentacle necklace in place.

"This in not common." Harmony said, feeling the need to defend her faith to those in the room. Sassi nodded and joined in.

"This is the only time we ever do anything like this, and as far as I know, it hasn't happened in over thirty years. We can't even modify his memory. When you make the jump from solitary practitioner to coven member, you're powerful enough that memory modification won't work. All the power... the names, the faces, the places. We can't just let you walk away with that. The only way to ensure the safety and integrity of the coven, is to kill you. When you betray the coven, you betray the Mother, and the only way to earn your place in her graces again, is to be... purified..." Sassi explained, her wavering voice betraying her raging emotions.

"Purified?" Barrett prodded.

"Purification by fire." Harmony clarified, her trying to make her voice as cold and uncaring as she could. "We'll tie you to a post, and burn you to death."

Their faces became shocked.

"I know." Harmony said. "Its barbaric. But it's the way things are done, and have been done for hundreds of years."

"And what's this 'punishment' that you spoke of?" Rufus asked, "The one that you said you and the coven have to do after the fact."

"Ah, that's why Sassi is not allowed to participate. An appointed member will document the exact amount of time it takes, from the moment we start the fire, to the moment he-... the moment he dies. I will then cast a glamour on all of the participating members of the coven. We will feel the same pain, the same fire, for the exact amount of time that it takes him t-to die."

"That is a heavy price." Sephiroth said, not liking what he heard.

"Its the least we can do to make up for taking life." Harmony answered.

"I don't like it. I don't want you doing that." Kadaj said, forcing Harmony to look at him. 

"I don't have a choice, Kadaj. I have to." A knock interrupted them before Kadaj could argue any more.

"Harmony? Its time." JoDee called softly.

Harmony took a deep breath. "Diana forgive me. This will mark the third life I have taken." She whispered.

!@#$%^&*()

"Austin Griers." Harmony called. "Is there anything that you'd like to say?"

"No." Austin said, his eyes closed and his head held high. Well, as high as he could for the post at his back.

"Well there's something that I want to say." Harmony shouted at him. "I loved you like a brother! I trusted and idolozed you! I thought I was so lucky to be apprentice to a High Priest like you. How could you do this? Why can't you just accept the path that Diana has laid for us?" She cried, tears streaming down her face.

"You know my reasons." He said.

Harmony sobbed, stepping forward. The torch burned brightly in her hand and she shook. "You are not even the least bit repentant?"

"No. You are fools. Our kind will vanish from the world, over run by these ungifted people. I only tried to do what I had to do, to save my kind. I am not sorry."

Harmony nodded sadly, a feeling of bitter relief washing through her that Austin was taking his punishment with pride.

"Well I'm sorry." She whispered so only he could hear her. "I truly am. I'm sorry, Brother." And with that, before she could think about it and lose her nerve, she dropped the torch into the straw at his feet, hearing his breath quicken, knowing his end was near.

!@#$%^&*()

The screams were horrifying. Even to Yazoo, who had tortured a man nearly to his breaking point. He felt dispar as he watched Harmony's shoulders shake with the force of her sobs. He knew that none of them really wanted to do this, but could understand the reasoning. Secrecy was the most important thing in their faith. To expose their power to the world was to endanger the lives of every witch in existence. Although the method was rather barbaric, who was he to judge their ways?

"How long has it been?" He heard Sassi whisper to Loz.

"One minute. Though the flames only reached him just about twenty seconds ago." Kadaj said, startling the group. "I've been counting."

"It seems like so much longer." Elena said.

"Imagine what it feels like for him." Zack said, shuddering. He remembered the heat of the fire in Nibelheim when he'd run into a burning house to save a boy's mother.

The other's nodded and then looked over when the screaming abruptly stopped.

"Is he dead?" Yuffie asked.

"I'll bet he just passed out." Angeal stated. "If not from the smoke, then from the flames themselves sucking the oxygen out of the air around him. If their God is merciful, he probably didn't feel much before the fire destroyed the nerve endings. Look, Harmony's moving."

True enough, Harmony started walking toward the flaming body, extending her hand and forcing her energy to wrap around him. She quickly pulled her hand back and then thrust it forward again, a giant wall of water roaring to life and dousing the fire.

"He's dead." Her watery voice called. "Chris?"

"One minute, twenty-nine seconds." He called.

"Right. Everyone, direct eye contact." She ordered. Inside, she was terrified, as she knew the others were, but this had to be done. When she was sure every person involved was looking her in the eye, the loosed her glamour, listening to the sudden screams of her brothers and sisters, before turning the spell inward and letting her own shriek of pain pass through her lips.

Kadaj spared Sassi only a moment when he heard Harmony scream. "Can I go to her?! Is it allowed?! Oh hell I don't fucking care!"

With that the Remnant took off at full speed, dropping to his knees and sliding the last few feet to Harmony's side as she lay twitching and screaming on the ground. He pulled her into his arms and squeezed his eyes shut. He knew that he couldn't really help her, but he could at least hold her, and be there when it was over.

!@#$%^&*()

"I never want to see that again." Harmony whispered as Kadaj gently washed the soot from her skin.

"You won't have to." Kadaj swore. "In our world, you don't have to hide. You won't have to tell people, but you won't be considered an oddity, either."

Harmony only nodded, mute. "I'm not going to ask if you're okay, because I know that you're not." Kadaj said, lifting her up out of the water to run the sponge down her back. "But will you be okay?"

Harmony didn't look at him. He was glad, because he couldn't stand to look into her eyes when they were that... lifeless. "Austin was my friend, Kadaj. My master. My teacher. My Priest. My brother." She whispered the last part.

"I'm sorry." Kadaj said. He laid her back into the water and stood abruptly.

"What are you doing?" Harmony asked as he stared to remove his clothes. She looked away and moved to the side when she slid into the hot water behind her. "I'm really not in the mood, Kadaj." She warned.

"I know. I wasn't going to start anything." He pulled her down to lay her back against him, cupping water in his hands and pouring it over her shoulders before gently kneading the tense muscles until she relaxed against him. "I just want you to know that I'm here."

Long moments passed in silence as Kadaj continued to knead and caress tensed muscles.

"You really meant it, didn't you?" Harmony asked suddenly. "Before we fought Jenova, when you said you loved me."

Kadaj paused. "Yes." He said. "I... I knew before... and I wanted to tell you. But I was afraid. The last person I said those words to was Kiku... and she died almost immediately after."

Harmony nodded, her shoulders shaking. It took kadaj a second to figure out that she was crying. "I killed him!" She whimpered.

'Finally.' Kadaj thought. She had to face the facts before she could move on. "Yes." He said softly.

"He's dead!"

"Yes."

She sobbed even harder. "I'm a horrible person! I took life! I lit the fire! I made the decision! I could have denied it!"

Kadaj made a soft sound in his throat and wrapped his arms around her. "Shhhh. You did what you had to do. Your coven is safe now. You kind all around the world is safe from at least one more threat. Sassi is safe."

Harmony tensed at the mention of her friend and charge. "You... you're right." The Guardian in her spoke. "I... I had to."

Kadaj thought about not voicing his thoughts, but decided that this was something she'd have to face. "You fought Hojo, and had a hand in his death. You also fought and helped kill Jenova. You should understand that as a Guardian, protecting Sassi taked priority over the rules. There may come a time when you have to kill to protect her, again. With your own hands. What will you do then?"

Harmony twisted and looked at Kadaj with eyes full of fire. "I would... I would do it. I wouldn't like it... but I would kill for her."

Kadaj sighed and buried his face in her neck, laying an open-mouthed kiss against her throat. He thought back on his life. All of the lives that he had taken, and had attempted to take. For the first time, he felt shame. Here was this woman in his arms, worried about taking one live, when he had taken hundreds.

"I've taken life." He whispered into her skin.

"I know." She answered.

"Am I a bad person?" He asked.

Harmony pushed him away and looked into his eyes. "No." She said, her voice full of resolve. "Maybe you used to be. Hell, you can still be downright scary when you want to be. But you've changed. You're not the 'creeper' that nabbed me off the beach anymore. You're Kadaj Nakamura." She shocked him. He didn't think she remembered his last name.

He smiled. "Then you're not either."

"I love you." Harmony said.

"I love you, too."

!@#$%^&*()

"What happened out there?" Michael asked Yuffie as she sat down to begin her 'guard duty'.

"I don't know if I should tell you. Just take is as coven business and leave it at that." She said.

"Well its obviously shaken you. Are you okay?" He said, sitting down next to her and laying a hand on her shoulder.

"I..." She started, trying to find the right words. "Yeah. I think I grew up a little."

Michael nodded, and changed the subject, trying to take her mind off of whatever was bothering her. "I talked to Yazoo today."

"Oh yeah? More death threats?" Yuffie smirked tiredly.

"No, but I found something out."

"And what's that?"

"I can't ever go home. They think that I'm helping you guys. I'm wanted by the FBI - that's the Federal Bureau of Investigations - for aiding and abetting wanted fugitives. They'll stick me in a cell and I'll lose my job. They might never let me go because now they know that I've made contact with you and that Alien creature. Even though she's dead."

Yuffie stared wide-eyed. "What will you do?"

Michael looked away. He'd already made his decision, he just had to voice it. "Yazoo gave me the option of... going with you guys. And... I'm going to do it. I don't have any family. I don't have kids, I don't have friends-my job made sure of that. I'm not leaving anything behind except a warrant for my arrest."

Yuffie took his decision in silence, and when he was finished, she spoke, albeit bashfully. "I-I'm glad. That you're going with us."

Michael wiped the shocked look off his face and smirked. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Maybe its reverse... what did Harmony call it? Stockholm syndrome? I don't know. But I... I kind of think I might like you." She blushed.

Michael smiled. "Well... I kind of think I might like you, too. How about once I get settled and start me life in your world, I take you out to dinner?"

Yuffie's blush darkened. "I'd like that."

Inside her head, the ninja could clearly picture herself doing 'the happy dance'.

!@#$%^&*()

"You're pregnant?!" Melissa screeched at Sassi. "I wondered why you didn't participate in the ... well... yeah."

Loz smiled widely at the shocked coven members. "Yes! Big Chief make Brave!" He said in a big voice.

"Or Squaw!" Sassi said. The other's laughed at their banter. They had tried to keep themselves busy, to keep from thinking about what they had just done, and to keep from facing the fact that their coven had no High Priest of Priestess.

Celeste finally broke and spoke the words that everyone had been thinking.

"I looked through those scrolls. I found something that was almost completely faded, but I was able to read it well enough to write it down. But I need you to translate it. I don't trust the internet translations." She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it, handing it to Sassi.

Sassi skimmed her eyes over the page. "You're sure that this is exactly what it says?" She asked.

"Yes. Why? What does it say?"

"Its the part that Hari couldn't make out." She walked to her dresser and retrieved the scroll that the passage came from, unrolling it and pointing out the passage. "This says that with the power of a Cetra-such as myself or Aerith-we can force the portal open. This part that you have, says that the portal will open naturally, every seven years."

"That's what the internet said... I just wanted to make sure." Celeste glanced at JoDee, and at receiving her nod, she continued.

"We wanted to talk to you and Harmony. Alone." Sassi really didn't like the way she'd said that.

"Alright." She agreed, the word sounding more like a question. "Loz? Will you go get Harmony? And then maybe go spar with someone for a while?"

Loz nodded, though inside he was dying from curiosity. Oh well. If it was important, he'd find out sooner or later.

!@#$%&*()

"That's why we want to leave this decision up to you. Please understand, we would never think less of either of you if you both refuse. But the Coven of Moon is the First coven in the Western clan. If we fall, they all do. And without a High Priest or Priestess, this coven will fall apart. Sassi, you have unmatched power and could easily lead this coven. Harmony, you also have amazing power and as A-a-austin's apprentice, you have the training needed to lead a coven. We leave this to you."

Harmony and Sassi let out shuddering breaths, both nodding and then vacating the room as quickly as they could.

"I'll stay. You go." Sassi said suddenly.

"Are you crazy? I'm not going anywhere without you! They're looking for us here! Neither one of us woud be safe!"

"But as a Cetra, I can force the portal open as soon as I train one of the others to take my place!"

"So! I already have the training! Less to learn, meaning quicker training for someone else, meaning I could come back here. The Garda have already sworn to protect us. Here, I'd be safe. And with you in Gaia with all the others... I know that every one of them would die to keep you safe. I'm staying. You're going where you can be protected!"

"What about Kadaj?" Sassi quipped, thinking it would stop Harmony in her tracks.

"What about Loz? You're pregnant with his child, Sassi!" Harmony fired back.

"Fine. Its obvious that this isn't gettin gus anywhere. I won't let you stay with me here, and you won't let me stay with you here. Rock, paper, scissors. Right before we leave. Winner chooses who stays, and who goes." Sassi offered.

Harmony weighted the pros and cons of accepting. "Deal." She said, shaking Sassi's hand. "But... they can't know about this. This has to be our decision."

"Agreed." Sassi said, heart pounding. She hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Who knew, maybe the coven would find someone else more suited to lead them.

Both Guardian and Cetra dearly hoped so.

!@#$%^&*()

A week passed in a blur of depression, raging fits, and relentless language lessons. Harmony now sat in the garden with four other coven members, drilling the pronunciations into their minds like an angry drill sergeant.

"No, say it exactly like I am." Harmony said, stopping Megan as she slaughtered the Irish language. "Ceangal. KAN-gul. Please repeat."

Megan did as Harmony ordered, as did the rest of the group in the room, and Harmony nodded. "Good. Lets start from the beginning again. You guys have 'beatha i dhá', lets work on 'Ceadaigh'. FWUHN-yoov."

They had practiced the spell for hours every day, getting better with each passing minute. Harmony breathed a sigh of relief. They would be ready when the time came.

She'd been avoiding Kadaj for a week, and she knew that he'd noticed it and was angry and confused. But she worried that she'd lose it and let slip the plan she and Sassi had.

She was so torn, but she knew that if she told Kadaj or Loz found out what was going on before the portal had snared them and they couldn't get away from it, that depending on who was staying, one of them would want to stay too. Sassi and Harmony had already decided. If Sassi stayed, she wanted Loz to protect Harmony. If Harmony stayed, she wanted Kadaj to protect Sassi. As much as they trusted the others, their lovers were the only ones they truly trusted to care for eachother.

After another two hours of merciless practice, going over the spell again and again until she was sure that they could all recite it backwards in their sleep, she called an end to the lesson, deciding on a walk through the garden to clear her head.

Snow was rare enough in Ireland, even more so as early as October, but the land seemed too understand how disconnected Harmony felt, and mirrored her feelings of hopelessness, covering the ground in a light dusting of white powder. She walked a long while, taking in the large, leafless trees and snow-covered fountains. She shivered every now and again, but welcomed the cold. Winter had always been her favorite season. The cold seemed to help calm her, the deathly stillness of the snow-covered grounds giving her the quiet she needed to sort out her thoughts.

Her musings were interrupted as a heavy coat was draped across her shoulders, and her heart jumped as she turned around to find Kadaj standing behind her.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked. She could hear the frustration in his voice.

"Just thinking. I love the cold." She answered, once again moving to walk beneath the low boughs of a large tree. She beckoned for him to join her.

"This is only the second time I've seen the snow." Kadaj admitted.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It never snows in Banora, and the rest of the time, I was in the lab. The only other time I've seen snow was when we left the crater to go to Edge and find Cloud."

"Do you like it?" Harmony asked, tensing and relaxing as Kadaj threaded his fingers through hers.

"I guess. Its cold."

Harmony chuckled, glad for the momentary light mood. "Well, its snow, Kadaj. Its bound to be cold."

He smirked at her. "Don't patronize me."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Without warning, she was suddenly dragged to the side, finding herself against the stone outer-wall of the estate, between the wall and the guesthouse. Luckily, the guesthouse was currently empty.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Kadaj demanded.

Harmony sighed. She should have known that for all his light-hearted conversation, it was all a ploy to get her out of sight and force her to talk to him seriously.

"I just... I need some time to myself, I-" He cut her off.

"You know what? No. I don't want to hear any of that mopey bullshit. I was a loner! But being here, with you and the others, I see that it does nothing but make the hurt worse. Your world forced me to come out of my shell and accept help and company from others. You forced it! Don't you give me that bullshit! I know that something's going on with you, and I know that it concerns me! Now what the hell is wrong?!"

Harmony gaped at him before shaking her head to focus her thoughts. "Nothing! It has nothing to do with you, Kadaj! I'm just dealing with what's happened in my own way!" It was only a half-lie, she reasoned.

Kadaj growled at her, making her eyes go wide as she stared at him. "I don't believe you." With that, he slammed his lips to hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth and dragging her up the stone. He forced himself between her thighs and used his hands to wrap her legs around his waist, grinding against her as soon as he had her where he wanted her.

"What are you doing?!" Harmony gasped.

"Showing you that you're not alone!" Kadaj snarled. He took her lips again, a bit more gently this time, and dragged his hand down her torso before slipping it inside her pants.

Harmony sucked in a breath when Kadaj's cold fingers made contact with her suddenly over-heated flesh. "Your hands are cold!" She squealed.

"Don't worry, they'll warm up." Kadaj smirked, not stopping.

Harmony squirmed against him, half trying to get away, half trying to pull him closer. "Damn you!" She panted, "I'm gonna kick your ass as soon as you let go of me!"

"Then I'd better not let go of you, huh?" Kadaj said, pulling his hand from her pants and pinning her wrists level with her head. He ground himself against her again, letting her feel him in his now-aroused state.

"Not here!" Harmony said, struggling against him and gasping in shock when he moved and let his knee grind against her core. "Fuck!"

"Yes, here." He leaned into her, using his weight to drag her back and forth across his knee, surprised at how sensitive and responsive she was. She was already writhing, her stomache muscles quivering with the anticipation of release after only just a few short thrusts. "Are you really about to come already?" He whispered darkly, leaning in and pulling her earlobe into his mouth. He bit down and she cried out, arching against him.

"I-I-I..."

He smirked, releasing her lobe to breathe into her ear. "Then do it. Come. Come for me right now!" With that, he released her hands, gripping her hips and dragging her across his thigh, hard, watching with dark enjoyment as she threw her head back and cried out his name, along with a few obscenities.

"Kadaj! Fuck!"

He held her still, pinned between himself and the stone, until the shuddering died down and her breath evened out.

"I don't know why you fight me. You and I both know that you want it." He said matter-of-factly.

Harmony growled, done playing his game, and bucked her hips. The movement forced Kadaj to back away from her, giving her just enough room to bring a leg up and kick him in the chest. He staggered back until his back hit the wall of the guesthouse, and in that moment, Harmony was on him, tearing at his button and zipper.

"You think that you have me so wrapped that I'll just come on command?" She snarled against his neck. "I'll make you fucking come in my hand!"

Kadaj shuddered and moaned. "Try me!" He challenged.

His challenge was accepted as Harmony's hand dove into his boxers, pulling him from his pants and giving one tight stroke that nearly had him undone right there.

Arching against her, he moaned and twisted, flipping them around and pinning her to the wall again. Still, she didn't release him, instead she continued pumping him in her hand, giving a few quick stroked and then tightening her hold. 

Harmony remembered the last time they were together in an angry way. He seemed to like a little bit of pain with his pleasure, and though she was not experienced in that side of things, she decided to try it anyway, Leaning in, she placed her lips to his throat, parting them after a misleading, soft kiss, and digging her teeth into his skin.

"Hah! Fuck!" Kadaj shouted, thrusting into her hand. "Do that again!"

Harmony shook her head and pulled away, sllowing her strokes until the Remnant whined in frustration. "You're not the one in charge right now."

Kadaj whined again and forced their lips together, tongue dueling with hers. She pulled away from him.

"How do you like it?!" She snarled. She leaned in to the nape of his neck, baring her teeth once more and sinking them into his skin.

He growled again and thrust harder against her, hands tightening into fists on her hips as he climbed closer and closer to climax.

She could feel that he was close in the way he pulsed in her hand, and she keened in his ear. "Now its your turn. You're going to come in my hand right now!" She mimicked his words from earlier, surprised and more than a little aroused when he cried out and complied.

"Fuck!" Came his choked shout as he thrust out-of-rhythm into her tightly-gripping hand. He leaned into her even more, squishing her almost painfully against the wall as he shuddered and panted.

"Damn you're a sadistic bitch." He chuckled, pulling away from her and righting himself.

"What can I say? You bring out the worst in me." She teased.

Kadaj smirked, and then became serious. "Will you stop avoiding me now?"

Harmony sighed. "Yeah. I'll stop avoiding you."

Kadaj smiled, relieved. Inside, he fought with confusion. Confused at the fact that this relief didn't seem to shock him. Confused at the fact that he wasn't confused.

And that... was a confusing thought.


	48. Blood of My Blood

Chapter 48

“Oh God, that’s better,” Sassi breathed as she kicked her shoes in random directions across her room. She walked to the fireplace, closing her eyes and soaking up the warmth. Colleen was a dear, always making sure everyone’s rooms were cleaned and sheets changed. Sassi knew the older woman was bothered by her sharing a room with Loz, but the sweetheart never said anything openly to the ‘Lady of the House’. The door opened silently and a chilling breeze rushed in. 

“Close that door!” Sassi exclaimed. 

“Yes ma’am,” Loz mock saluted in her direction as his kicked it shut. 

Sassi shivered and folded her arms, taking a step closer to the flames. Loz strolled to her, putting his hands on her waist and resting his forehead on hers. He kept a tiny space between them. 

“It won’t hurt him if I hold you?” 

Sassi grinned, realizing this was probably why her Big Chief had been acting like a scaredy-cat whenever she embraced him, “No. She will be just fine. It’s too early to think about crushing the tiny being.” Without pause, she bowed ahead to a question that had been plaguing her, “Did you really mean what you said the other day, about marriage?” 

Loz pulled her into him, closing his eyes and inhaling her floral scent. 

“Yes, the child deserves a family.” 

“Is that all it would be to you?” She whispered. Her voice carefully bland, stripped of emotion. Loz knew he better clarify. 

“I remember my family; dinners with laughter, games, and even some arguments. The unquestionable trust I had in my parents, never doubting their love of me or each other. All that was taken from me when I was given to Hojo. Jenova offered me a taste of love again, but it always felt tainted. When I was in the lab the thought of home and family kept me sane,” He lightly snorted, “Maybe not sane, but it kept a shred of humanity inside.” 

Sassi gently wiped a tear from his cheek as he struggled to finish explaining. 

“I want my child to have the happiness I remember. To have a home with parents who love one another.” His tears came freely now, forming tiny rivers on his cheeks. “Sassi, our child deserves that.”

Sassi’s breath caught. Was he saying what she hoped he was? She felt her own eyes brimming with moisture as she looked into his piercing gaze. 

“I love you Sassafras Flint,” Loz nearly whispered

Sassi pressed her mouth tenderly to his. A kiss loaded with emotion. 

“I love you too.” She breathed against his lips. “But if you ever call me Sassafras again, Big Chief is sleeping without his Squaw.” Her eyes flashed amusement. 

Loz grinned like an idiot, sweeping her up bridal style to the bed. He nipped at her mouth, she clutched his shoulders. He pressed her to the mattress, laying the length of his body over hers. Sassi slid her nails up his back under his shirt, pulling up the hem. He easily disentangled himself from the garment, flinging it to a corner of the room. He rolled her atop him, to better get her top off. His now experienced fingers found the clasp of her bra and sprung it. Sassi pulled one strap off, then another, and with a quick motion into the neckline of her polo she whipped out her bra. 

“That is some trick!” Loz bellowed. 

Sassi giggled and dropped the cloth into his face. When Loz flung it aside she had removed her shirt as well. Gooseflesh rose and her nipples sharpened. She unbuckled his belt and slid his jeans down, trusting him to wriggle them the rest of the way off, which he promptly did. She straddled him; hands braced on his chest and began to move her hips in slow circles. Loz laid his head back, gripping her hips tightly as her motion played with his restraint. One hand molded to her breast. 

“Sweet Goddess!” She cried out. 

Loz flicked her nipple with his thumb, rubbing none too gently. He noticed her nipple had darkened, when did that happen?, he thought. He sat up suddenly, mouth capturing her heavy breast. Sassi cried out again. She did not realize how tender she had become. Loz’s warm tongue circled, flicked, prodded. When he sucked hard she arched into him. His arms held her captive as he buried his face in her mounds. Sassi found it hard to catch a breath. 

Loz pulled his head down to the pillow, suction forcing Sassi’s body to follow him. Her legs extended and the soft pants she was wearing slithered away. Loz rolled her to her back enjoying the softness of her exposed legs. His fingers found the slickness below her navel. Flitting lightly, causing her to buck into his palm for more. Sassi grabbed his jaw with both hands and forced him to look into her eyes. She spoke softly in Gaelic, but through their contact Loz understood her words.

“Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone.   
I give ye my Body, that we Two might be One.  
I give ye my Spirit, ‘til our Life shall be Done.”

“Mo ghrá**.,” Sassi smiled and kissed him deeply. There was no further need for words as their bodies made love an action. 

!@#$%^&*()

Harmony looked at the cards in her hand and hid her smirk. She sat at the kitchen table with Kadaj, Yazoo, Yuffie, Michael, and Zack. All she needed were two cards, and she would win. She lifted her gaze to stare down each of her opponents. Zack was leaning back, his chair up on two legs and his cards forgotten, arm hanging from the back of the chair. Michael just looked bored. Yuffie was staring at her cards, her mouth twisted and tongue sticking out. Kadaj looked even more bored than Michael. Yazoo looked indifferent, like he didn't have a care in the world. Harmony knew that he would have a good poker face, but too good, and you're obvious.

"Yazoo." She said, happy at catching him in his precarious predicament.

"Yes?"

"You ready?"

Yazoo smirked and gave a short chuckle. "Of course."

"Do you have any twos?" Harmony had to fight to keep from squirming with glee. She knew she had him, he had to have the other twos! And when he handed them over, she'd win-

"Go. Fish." Yazoo crooned, smiling wickedly. She couldn't outsmart him.

"Wha-! Oh man! I was sure I had you!"

"Ha." Yazoo said. "Not even close. Now give me your kings."

Harmony growled and complied, and then squealed in frustration when Yazoo smiled and laid his cards down, winning the hand.

"Damnit!"

!@#$%^&*()

"Oh come on, Sassi! Its almost Halloween! Its just a few movies!" Celeste pleaded.

"I don't care! You know how impressionable I am! I hate scary movies!"

"Oh please. You're telling me that even with your ridiculously, massively strong boyfriend, you're afraid of a little clown on a tricycle?" Harmony said as though she was talking to a child. "Stop being a chicken! We have one more day. Tomorrow is the last day that we have to spend time with our friends, and enjoy things here that they don't have in Gaia. Come on."

Sassi growled, and then let out a resigned sigh. "Fine." She dragged the word out.

"Awesome! I'll get the tv hooked up to my computer!" Melissa cheered.

"And we'll be in the kitchen! As acting High Priestess, I declare this a day for feasting!"

Cheers erupted from the room, everyone from all around the grounds able to hear it, and then the soft sound of happy instrumental music sounded from the manor.

!@#$%^&*()

"I'll miss German Chocolate cake." Harmony said longlingly as she licked the coconut frosting off of the spatula

"I'll miss beef steak." Sassi said.

"I'll miss red velvet cake... and cream cheese frosting."

"I'll miss Big Bang Theory. Bazinga!"

"Oooh, yeah!"

"What are you guys talking abo-Holy Shiva, that's a lot of cake." Cissnei said, stopping short upon entering the kitchen.

"Oh, hey Ciss. We're having a feast in honor of the Samhain... except instead of traditional food, we're making all of the things we'll miss the most when we go to your world."

"All of this... if just for us to eat?" Cissnei asked.

"Well..." Sassi said, looking at Harmony. Harmony grinned and threw her arm around Cissnei's shoulder.

"We invited the Gardai." She said, giggling at the shocked look Cissnei gave her. "Think about it, they don't know we're leaving, and they don't need to right now, but this is a way to smooth things over with the Irish government, to make it easier on the rest of the coven and other Irish Clans."

"Yazoo isn't going to like this." Cissnei sighed.

"Yazoo won't like what?" Said Remnant asked, stepping into the kitchen behind them.

"Oh, nothing. You'll see."

Yazoo raised a delicate brow and took a playfully threatening step toward Sassi, eyes going wide and ducking when Hari's eyes flashed and she threw a glass bowl at his head.

"Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" Harmony gasped, rushing to clean up the mess. "This Guardian mode is a bitch!"

Yazoo chuckled. "Its alright. I wasn't serious, but at least now I know to be careful when joking around."

Harmony blushed. This would definitely take some getting used to.

!@#$%^&*()

"You want me to what?" Aerith asked, understanding what Harmony and Sassi wanted, but needing them to repeat.

"Just a little bit of it! We're having a Samhain feast, and we want to eat outside. Its too cold, though. We want you to cast your Great Gospel, and hopefully those pretty yellow flowers will bloom and make it look nice, and make it warmer like it did last time." 

"Well... I guess I can try. You know that I don't really make the flowers grow, the Lifestream does, and if they decide that this is silly, they might not go along with it." She said.

"That's ok. At least try?"

Aerith nodded her head. "Are they inside?" She didn't need to elaborate, Sassi and Harmony knew who she was talking about.

"Yeah." Harmony answered. "We made sure that they wouldn't be caught in it."

Aerith nodded and reluctantly raised her arms. "Great Gospel!" She cried, smiling when the familiar warm, sweet water began to tricke from the sky above the estate.

The women watched in awe, even Aerith was taken aback by the beauty that began to flourish around them.

Instead of flowers and blossoms, red, yellow, and orange leaves began springing from the trees, the snow melting. In a few minutes, the rain stopped, leaving the estate with the most beautiful fall scenery that any of them had ever seen.

"I guess they approve..." Harmony breathed.

"Guess so." Sassi and Aerith nodded their agreement.

!@#$%^&*()

"This looks soooooo good!" Tifa said, sitting down at the table and relaxing in the warmth of the bonfire not far away. "But why is there so much food? I know there's a lot of us, but there's no way that we can eat all of this by ourselves!"

"Forget why there's so much food." Kadaj drawled. "Why are there so many tables?"

The sound of a car horn blaring interrupted him, causing Sassi to smile.

"Because we have more guests than just you guys."

Hamony and Sassi raced to the gates with smiles on their faces. Their smiles widened when a good thirty-some Gardai stepped out of their vehicles, gasping at the wonderous scenery.

"Well, Little Bird, ye've outdone yerself. Why are yer grounds the only place that looks like this?" Cormac said, pulling the woman into a hug, and then ruffling Harmony's hair.

"Don't compliment me, Aerith did it. Its a part of her ultimate technique." Sassi said, beckoning Aerith over. Zack followed her, casting a suspicious glare at the Gardai.

"Hello." Aerith said sweetly.

"Lady Ancient." Came the chorus from the Gardai.

"Oh, stop. No formalities." Harmony said kindly. "They're Sassi and Aerith. I know that you know me as Lilith Maddox... but I don't go by that name anymore for personal reasons. Just call me Harmony."

"But, Lady Guardian-" The same young man from before started.

"Psh. Semantics aren't important!" She reiterated. She pointed at Sassi, then Aerith, then herself. "Sassi. Aerith. Harmony."

The Gardai reluctantly nodded, and then another man stepped forward. "Well, anyway. Thank ye for inviting us te yer celebration."

Sassi smiled brilliantly. "Think nothing of it. We're to be allies, right? You need to know who we are, not just what we are. Come on, dinner's getting cold."

The guests let out the breaths they were holding and smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be as awkward as they thought.

!@#$%^&*()

"You were right." Yazoo whispered to Cissnei. "I don't like this."

"Yazoo, this'll help keep relations between witches and Gardai peaceful." She said. "I know that this is new to you, but trust me. Politics are another thing the TURKS are good at. I used to deal with parties and things like this all the time."

Yazoo smiled. "I bet you look beautiful in formal wear."

"You mean I don't look beautiful now?" She teased.

"Don't be silly. If you were any prettier I'd drown in my own saliva."

Cissnei smiled and finished off her wine, noticing that Yazoo had also finished his meal. She listened to the music playing from the speakers that were set up and an idea struck her. She stood up. "Dance with me."

Yazoo hesitated. "I don't dance. I never learned."

"Nonsense. Someone as skilled in martial arts as you knows how to move his body." Cissnei winked. "This isn't a request. Dance with me."

Yazoo sighed and stood up. "Okay."

"Oh, that's so cute!" Elena said, watching Cissnei teach Yazoo how to waltz.

"'Cute' and 'Yazoo' are two words I never thought I'd ever hear you put into the same sentence." Tseng said, threading his fingers through hers.

"Well..." Elena started, "He cornered me the other day. I'll admit it scared me. For a minute I was right back at the Forgotten City. I just freaked out and started screaming at him to get away, to stop. And then he actually hugged me. He said that he was so sorry for what he did and that there was nothing he could do to make it up to me, but that if I would forgive him, he could start trying. He sounded so sincere, and sad. So I did. I'm still not comfortable being alone with him, and he understands that. But I figure, if you can work with him and get along with him, I can too."

Tseng nodded. "I know you can. He's not the same Yazoo that did those things, you know."

Elena smiled and watched the grinning face of Yazoo as he led Cissnei around the dance area. "I know. Just give me a little time."

Tseng kissed the back of her hand. "Miss Sazo, I'll give you all the time you need. Shall we join them?"

Elena's eyes lit up. Tseng rarely danced with her at functions like this, and he never instigated it. "Really?"

Tseng only chuckled and stood, pulling the blonde to her feet and leading her to the join the two dancing. He nodded and gave Yazoo a small smile, and then began twirling Elena around on the grass.

"Lady Guardian," The young Garda, Kian, said. He gave an exaggerated bow, offering his hand. "Would you be so kind as to grace me with a dance?"

Kadaj growled and made to intercept them, but a sharp glare from Harmony stopped his advance. He's already refused to dance with her, and she'd already told him that if he wouldn't, she'd find someone that would.

"Of course, Kian. I'd love to!"

Kadaj watched the two spin to the music. The dance was innocent enough, but Kadaj couldn't see past the hands that were wrapped around his lover.

"You know, if you'd give in and dance with her, you wouldn't have to watch someone else touch her." Came Rufus's voice from behind him.

"I don't dance." He said simply, turning back around.

"Yes. And you still want to get Jenova and destroy the world, too."

"Don't be ridiculous. Even if that was still possible, I'm not that person anymore!" Kadaj snapped, turning a violent glare to the blonde man.

Rufus smiled. "Exactly. Maybe this 'new Kadaj' likes to dance. How will you know if you don't try?"

Kadaj sighed. He knew that he didn't want to dance. Then he saw that Kian kid pull Harmony just a bit closer, and made up his mind. He quickly approached the two, restraining himself, so that he could lightly tap the boy on the shoulder rather than throw him across the garden.

"Oh, would you like to cut in, Sir?" Kian said politely. Inside, he was shaking in terror at the look in the silver-haired man's eyes.

"Yes." Kadaj drawled. "You should go have some wine. You look nervous." He teased, cruelly. Kian gulped and nodded, giving Harmony a short bow and then briskly walking away.

Kadaj wrapped his arms around Harmony's waist and followed the swaying of her hips with his own.

"That wasn't nice. It was only a dance. He knows I'm not available." Harmony smirked, please at his jealousy, for once.

"I don't want anyone else touching you. I'll dance with you, but only so no one else can lay their hands on you!" He pouted.

Harmony grinned and subtly ground her hips against his, watching the surprise cover his features. "Is it really so bad?"

"Maybe not..." Kadaj relented.

Sassi sighed happily as she watched her friends twirl around the grass.

"What's wrong?" Loz asked from beside her at the table.

"Hm? Oh, nothing's wrong. I'm just really happy that everyone is having a good time. We've gone through so much in the past few weeks. Having to leave the cabin, fighting Jenova, having to... you know. Austin. Its just good to see everyone so happy after so much saddness."

Loz nodded. "Yeah. You're right. Wanna dance with me? I don't know how, but I can try, if you want."

Sassi smiled and shook her head. "I'm okay. Later, though." She watched in amusement as Michael led the blushing Yuffie to dance. And then frowned in aggrivation when said Ninja showed her ture colors, tripping over the cord for the speakers and yanking it right out of them.

The music abruptly stopped, everyone in the garden letting out sounds of disappointment.

"Good one, Brat!" Cid snorted from Sassi's other side. He popped a piece of gum in his mouth, having already learned from the past two weeks that if he lit up around, his cigarette would mysteriously burn all the way down to the butt. Apparently, she didn't appreciate him smoking around her.

"Shut up, old man!" Yuffie snapped.

"Hey, its okay guys! We can still have music!" Chris hollered. The rest of the coven's eyes brightened and they rushed inside, returning with instrument cases of all different sizes. Megan handed one to Sassi.

"What?" Sassi gasped. "In front of all these people?!" She knew what they were planning.

Harmony approached her, Kadaj's arm slung possessively around her waist. "Its not a bad idea, Sass. It is a celebration of Samhain, after all. And you have to admit, a coven cleansing is exactly what we need right now. Where's my guitar?" She asked Megan. The Native American woman smiled softly.

"Have you forgotten? You are acting High Priestess. The ceremony is up to you to perform."

Harmony paled. She had performed her own cleansings a million times, but never had she done it for the coven. She'd helped Austin once or twice... but this was the first time she'd have to do it on her own.

She shook her senses back into place. If she ended up staying, she would have to do this often, so she might as well start now. She nodded nervously, looking at the resigned Sassi. "Amas Veritas?" She asked.

The entire coven nodded to her, pulling out their instruments.

"Everyone? Can you all please back away from the campfire. Tonight, we have decided to gift you all with the experience of witnessing a coven cleansing!" Celeste said. The Gardai backed away quickly, but the anticipation and excitement was clear in their eyes. 

Harmony caught Kadaj's alarmed gaze, and immediately knew what he was thinking about. "Don't worry." She whispered, "I'm not taking my clothes off in front of all of these people. Nudity is optional, anyway." Kadaj let out a sigh of relief.

"Is it the same as before?"

"No. This is just a dance, and a prayer. The coven plays the music to please the Mother, and the High Priest or Priestess, at the moment that's me, dances and sends a prayer to the Goddess to cleanse us."

Kadaj nodded, happy that no one else would get to see Harmony naked.

The coven moved in perfect order to sit spread apart around the bonfire, leaving the spectators plenty of room to see Harmony. The dark haired Priestess turned toward the group.

"The first part will be a song, and a traditional Wiccan dance. It is a gift, and offering of beauty to the Mother. You can clap along if you want, but when the music stops, you must be silent. When the dance is over, I will say a prayer to the Goddess, asking her to take the negative enery from our bodies, and replace it with her love. If any of you would prefer not to be a oart of the ceremony, you are free to leave whenever you wish." She called out. When she received several nods of understanding, she turned to Chris, the dark haired man nodding and running his fingers across the strings of his guitar.***

!@#$%^&*()

It was an amazing, beautiful, and very entertaining thing to watch. Harmony spun in circles around the campfire, jumping and twisting and twirling. Sassi smiled at her when she caught her eye, and then her eyes widened as Harmony spun to her. She danced in place, holding both of her hands out and encouraging Sassi to give up her violin and help her.

She glanced at the other coven members. It wasn't forbidden... it was up to the witch performing the ceremony... but it wasn't often that two people danced. The other members gave encouraging nods, and Sassi grinned, placing her violin on the ground and accepting Harmony's hands. 

The two woman twirled around eachother, dancing in circles and zig-zags around the campfire, and soon the sound of clapping was heard from the spectators as they kept time with the music.

Harmony and Sassi let go and laughed, a joyous, melodic sound that complimented the music perfectly.

The music soon faded to nothing, Harmony and Sassi ending their dance in perfect sync. Harmony faced East, and Sassi faced West, both bending backwards and grasping hands, creating a perfect 'V' shape.

They gave themselves a moment to catch their breath as coven members rushed to place the ceremonial items before the two. A thought struck Sassi, and she whispered her idea into Harmony's ear, the woman in turn grinning madly and nodding her acceptance. Sassi quickly made her way to where Aerith stood, wide-eyed and entranced as the Redhead led her to the circle.

"You are an Ancient. A direct descendant of the Breath, the Warmth, the Life itself. You have the right to assist." Harmony offered the flower girl. Aerith smiled at her, bowing slightly and placing her hand over her heart.

"I would be honored. What do I do?" She whispered back.

"Follow my lead, as Sassi does. You don't have to speak, just mimic my hand motions."

And with that, Harmony and her assistants turned to the bonfire, the two women raising their hands as Harmony did.

"O Diana, Mother of all. We invoke thee! We offer our art and music to thee, and ask that you accept our gift. Many things have happened in the lives of all your children. The darkness pounds at the light hidden in our hearts. We ask thee for your lov and warmth. We ask that you take the negativity from our lives, and gift us with your light. Vanquish the darkness, O Great Mother!" Harmony then turned to Sassi ans Aerith, lifting her ceremonial athame and pricking her own finger, and then Sassi's and Aerith's. She motioned for the two to follow her as she let the blood drip into a goblet of wine. "We offer you our blood. Powerful blood that your grace, and that of your sister, the Lifestream, have granted us. Let our sacrifice mark the acceptance of our duty, and our willingness to use our power in your name! Take the darkness from our hearts, Great Mother, and replace it with your ever-lasting light. By the power granted me by the Coven of Moon, First coven in the Western Clan, so mote it be!"

There were a few gasps and cries of alarm from the Gardai behind them as a tingling warmth settled into the spectators, every worry they'd ever had fleeing into the night, and then loud applause, whooping and whistling erupted from the entire group.

The Cleansing was successful.

!@#$%^&*()

"What is the cure for Cancer, Eric? The cure for death itself. The answer is immortality. By creating a legacy, by living a life worth remembering, you become immortal. So now we find the tables are turned. It is I who will carry on John's work after he dies, and you are my first test subject. Now you are locked away, helpless and alone. Game over."

"Oh my god! I can't believe it!" Yuffie whispered. "It was her the whole time?!"

"Shhh! This is the best part!" Michael hissed. He had to admire their taste in movies. This saga was his favorite.

"Wel I think its stupid." Kadaj said. "I mean come on, that girl with her hands stuck in the box? All she had to do was-"

"Shhhh!" The group hissed.

"No, he's right." Yazoo put in. "Half of these things are physically impossible."

"Shut up!" Harmony hissed. She caught sight of Sassi cuddled against Loz, her head under a blanket at his neck. "You okay, Sass?" She snickered.

"Shut up. I hate you for making me do this!"

"You're such a pussy. Just because you have one doesn't mean you have to be one!"

"Oh yeah?!" Sassi shot back. "Think of another word for pussy! Starts with a 'c' and ends with 'u-n-t'. Just cause you have one doesn't mean you have to be one!" 

Harmony gasped, scandalized. "Sassi!" She then burst out laughing. "I can't believe you just said that!"

"Lets put in the next one!" Cloud said. He was strangely amused my these movies.

Sassi groaned in defeat as Melissa moved to do just that.

!@#$%^&*()

"Were you really that scared?" Loz asked Sassi as she snuggled down into the covers of their bed.

"Just shut up and check the closet, will you?" She snapped, irritated at being teased.

Loz chuckled at how easily impressionable she was.

"Nothing here, see?" He said, holding the doors open.

"Good. Now get over here and protect me!"

"I thought you didn't want my protection."

"Shut the fuck up and get. Over. Here."

"Yes Ma'am."

!@#$%^&*()

"So. The day after tomorrow." Harmony said, her voice muffled by Kadaj's chest.

"Yeah."

"I have a question?" She asked, lifting herself up.

"Hm?"

"What are you going to do when we get there? Work, a home?"

"That's easy. Yazoo and I already discussed it. We're opening a Dojo. We'll live in Edge."

Harmony stared at him. "You've really thought this through."

He shrugged. "Well, yeah. I want to be able to give you a decent life, considering the life we took from you."

"Stop with that. If I wasn't willing, I would have turned you guys in, don't you think?"

Kadaj snorted. "I bet. You're crazy like that."

!@#$%^&*()

Yuffie glanced at Michael. When he looked her way, she averted her eyes and blushed.

Michael stared at Yuffie. When she glanced at him, he looked away and pretended that he hadn't been looking at her.

This continued for a long while as the two sat on the lip of the fountain in the garden.

"So..." She started.

"So..." He echoed.

"That was one great-"

"I had a really good-"

They both started at the same time, stopping and chuckling nervously.

Michael returned to staring at Yuffie, only this time, she was staring back.

"What?" She asked.

Michael thought hard. He wasn't sure if this was a good idea.

"Oh shit." He muttered. "To hell with it!"

And with that, he grabbed Yuffie's arm and swung her around to face him, planting his lips against hers.

Yuffie sat in shock.

'This is my... first kiss!'

And then, the Great Ninja Yuffie, most powerful ninja of all time and Single White Rose of Wutai... fainted.


	49. BIttersweet Lullaby

Chapter 49

The sad sound of a violin caught their attention as the group sat in the den. Harmony's eyes misted over, and she stood slowly, abandoning their game, and went to the coat closet near the garden door. 

The group watched in confusion as she pulled her guitar from its case and disappeared through the doors, the sound of plucking strings joining the tragically beautiful whine of the violin.

Kadaj was the first to join the two women outside. Sassi sat on the edge of the fountain with her back to them, her violin to her chin, and silent, crystaline tears falling from her sad blue eyes. Harmony sat beside her, plucking away at her guitar, the same sad look on her face as she watched, and played along with her cousin. To the Remnant's relief, there was no sign of tears, but he knew that it was only a matter of time.

Loz stepped forward, wanting to lay his hand on Sassi's shoulder, but Tifa stopped him, shaking her head and putting her finger to her lips. They all knew that something was bothering their friends, and maybe this was the best way for them to release that stress. Sassi had avoided most of them all morning, and Harmony had been more quiet than usual. 

Tifa attributed it to the fact that they were leaving their world and everything they knew. She was only half right.

Sassi tried in vain to stop the tears that trickled down her cheeks, even more so after Harmony joined her. There were only two options.

One, the portal might refuse to let herself or Harmony through at all, and both of them would say goodbye to their lovers forever.

Two, the portal would let one of them through - whichever one lost and stayed, and either she or Harmony would have to say goodbye to the other, maybe for as long as seven years. 

Neither was a thought that she had entertained before that morning. But as the sun rose on possibly her last day in this world, the thoughts hit her all at once and she had pulled in on herself, unwilling to deal with the sadness that both options caused her. She finally broke when she walked from her bedroom to find her cousin and her new friends sitting in a circle on the floor of the den playing cards.

Harmony knew something was on Sassi's mind-the Cetra/Guardian bond they shared told her that much, as it had all morning-she just didn't know what.

As their song ended, and she caught sight of the others out of the corner of her eye, she shook her head, warning them to stay away for the time being.

She lay her guitar against the fountain, and took Sassi's Violin, laying it beside her. She looked to Kadaj and motioned with her eyes, silently asking him to take the instruments inside, and giving a sad smile when he nodded.

"Walk with me?" She said to Sassi, taking her hands and pulling her up.

"Okay." Sassi sniffled, and the two began a slow walk into the depths of the garden.

Kadaj didn't like the feeling that took him when she smiled at him like that. He looked at Loz and knew that his brother felt the same thing.

Something was very, very wrong.

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi and Harmony sat inside the cold, dark mausoleum that held the body of the Cetran's mother, both sobbing and sniffling in eachother's arms.

"I didn't think about that, either." Harmony whispered. "Either we both lose someone we care about, or one of us loses two people we care about."

Sassi nodded, trying to steady her breathing so that she could talk. Finally, she spoke. "I... I wanted to spend some time with you, just in case. And I... I wanted to thank you for being there for me like you have been. We both know that it isn't just because you're a Guardian and I'm a Cetra. That may have started it, but its more than that. You're my best friend, Har. My sister." Her voice broke on a sob. "I know what has to be done, has to be done. And I know that if you stay, its only seven years... but anything could happen in seven years! If I stay, it'll only take a few years to train someone else, and I can leave immediately. You would have to wait for the portal to open again."

"I know. I also know that this sacrifice is one we're both willing to make. We owe it to the coven. Especially after... Austin's death." Harmony sniffled. "How about this: If I stay, in five years-because that's how long it will take to train someone-five years to the day, you guys open the portal again. That way, if one of us goes, and one of us stays, either way, we'll see eachother again in five years. It'll be no different than the two years that we didn't see eachother before you came to the cabin."

"But that was different! We both had careers, and I could still call you and talk to you! I could still feel you!"

"Sassi..." Harmony trailed off, irritated that the tears wouldn't stop, "You are my Cetra. My Mother. My sister. I'll always feel you. It doesn't matter if you're on the opposite end of the world, or in a different world all together. Not only because I'm your Guardian, but because I'm your friend."

Sassi sniffled, and gave a small smile. "Do you really think it will work that way?"

Harmony smiled back. "I know it will."

The two heaved heavy sighs of resignation. Either option was a possibility, and there was no use crying about it anymore.

"Hey," Sassi started, thinking to lighten the mood, "You remember that time at the beach when we buried Chris in the sand, but we didn't know that we'd picked up a little sand crab and it pinched him on his... boys?"

Harmony burst out laughing so hard that her sides hurt. "Oh my God! Yes! The look on his face was priceless! I'll never forget that! 'Get it off! Get it off!'"

Sassi giggled along with her, and the two spend the rest of the morning sitting in the tomb of the Lady Miriam, giggling and laughing about times past.

!@#$%^&*() 

When the witches returned to the estate, it was to their friends sitting in the garden, looking worried.

"Are you guys okay?" Zack asked.

Harmony and Sassi sighed and looked at eachother. 

"We will be." Sassi said with a smile. She looked at Harmony, and at receiving her nod, went to Loz. "Lets go somewhere and talk for a while, okay?"

The two had discussed it, and decided that they wanted to spend the rest of their final day with their lovers, as they would spend all of the next day together going over the spell.

"Kadaj?" Harmony said, grasping his hand, "You too. I talked to Cormac and he said that we're okay to go into town. Lets go out."

Kadaj nodded dumbly and allowed Harmony to drag him into the manor, where she begged and pleaded with Colleen to let her use her car for a few hours. The old woman relented with a sigh, and produced her keys, warning that if anything happened to her car, Harmony would spend the rest of her life without her left ear, and reminding the Guardian that "We drive on the left side of the road."

Harmony hurriedly pushed the Remnant into the passenger side of the tiny car, laughing as the man had to hunch over to fit, and then climbed in and started down the long driveway.

"What's wrong? You're acting really weird, today." Kadaj said, concerned.

"We'll talk about it at dinner. Uncle Cormac recommended this cute little pub that he frequents."

"Is it really that bad that you want me in a public place to tell me?"

Harmony sighed and rolled her eyes. He was going to pester her for the entire drive into town. She decided to just tell him. he couldn't di much while squished in this tiny car, anyway.

"Sassi and I think that there might be a possibility that the portal might not let us through. We just wanted to spend as much time with our boyfriends as we can, in case that happens." She glanced at Kadaj.

His eyes were wide and he looked as though he'd just swallowed glass. "I didn't think about that." He rasped.

Harmony nodded. "I know. But its okay. Just keep telling yourself that it will work. Have faith. Faith decides a lot of things."

Kadaj stared at her. He wished that he shared her enthusiasm.

Dinner was... interesting... to say the least. Harmony had forgotten that women would most likely swarm Kadaj because of his exotic appearance.

Kadaj could only smirk at the jealous aura surrounding Harmony that darkened every time a woman would approach him. He decided to have mercy on her.

"Ladies, please. I'm trying to enjoy an nice dinner with my fiance." He said, staring Harmony in the eye and delighting as she choked on her drink.

There was a soft chorus of sounds of disappointment, and the women currently pestering him walked away.

"Was that too much?" Kadaj asked. "I just figured that since Loz and Sassi are getting married, you and I should. I didn't think you'd object. Would you rather I asked?"

Harmony shook her head, still trying to get her lungs to work properly. She had been thinking of her own surprise for the evening, but it didn't include anything like this!

"Good." Kadaj said. He raised his hand and beckoned the server to their table. "Two glasses of red wine, please. The best you've got. My fiance and I are thirsty."

After dinner, Harmony once again forced Kadaj into the car, hushing him every time he asked were they were going as he noticed them leaving the city of Belfast. After a long drive, he finally saw a sign that told him they had just entered the city of Bangor.

"Hari, what are we doing?" He asked again, frustrated. 

"You'll see. This is one of the places in Ireland that I've always wanted to see. The Marine Gardens. Pretty much a walk on the beach. I know that I said you didn't have to propose to me, but by God, you're going to do it anyway!"

Kadaj smirked and chuckled. "I see."

Harmony parked the car as close as she could, and blushed when Kadaj ordered her to stay where she was. He walked around the car and opened the door for her. "If I'm doing this, I'm doing it right." He said with a devilish smile.

They walked a long while. Long enough that Harmony thought Kadaj had decided not to give her a proper proposal, after all.

She was wrong, she realized, as Kadaj stopped short in the middle of a bridge overlooking the ocean. He spun her around to face him, leaning down and resting his forehead against hers as he pulled her as closely as he could without hurting her.

"Kadaj?" She breathed, her heart racing.

He only smiled and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. "I never thought I'd ever do this. Give me a minute to think about what I want to say." He chuckled. He wasn't nervous, just... unsure.

Harmony smiled and brought her hands up, cupping his face. "Don't think. Just talk. Say what you feel." She offered.

His smile widening, he did just that. "I love you." He said, leaning in for another soft kiss. "Marry me?"

Harmony fought back tears, which was ridiculous, she thought, as technically they were already engaged. "Yeah." She breathed. "Yeah, I will."

As Kadaj graced her with a brilliant smile before leaning in to kiss her senseless, there was only one thought running through her mind.

'I hope he doesn't hate me too much, if I end up being the one that stays.'

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi and Loz had chosen a more simple evening, and both were curled up on their bed watching a romantic comedy.

"Do guys in your world really act so lame?" Loz asked as the main actor sang a stupid love song about arthritis and tummy-aches and growing old together.

Sassi giggled. "None that I've met, but I'm sure some do." She answered. 'I can agree with him, though. It'd be nice to be with Loz for the rest of my life.' She thought to herself.

As the movie ended, Sassi glanced at Loz to ask what he wanted to watch next, surprised to find tears rolling down his face.

"Loz, are you crying?" 

"No! I bit my tongue!" His excuse was proven invalid, though, as he let out a quiet sob. "That movie was so great! He was such a dope and he still got the girl!"

"Well, yeah, but why are you crying?" Sassi asked.

"'Cuz it reminds me of you and me." Loz said sniffling.

"Aw," Sassi said. "You may be a dope sometimes, but you're my dope, and I love you!" Sassi reassured him.

She had enjoyed just sitting with him, not really doing anything. They'd watched a few movies, discussed her fears-Loz's reply being that he'd make the damned portal let her through, which made her smile-and played a few games.

"Which one next?" Loz interrupted her thoughts. "You've got... Something about Ya Ya's and something about magic being practical."

Sassi frowned slightly. Neither of those movies would make her feel very good at the moment. 

"How about we change genres?" She suggested. "Lets watch something action-ey."

"Hell yeah!" Loz cheered. He handed Sassi's DVD book to her, and then excitedly placed the DVD into the tray.

The were silent as the movie played, Loz laughing at the main character every now and then for his emo-ness.

The movie ended, and Sassi shut the television off. Her eyes were starting to hurt.

Loz pouted, but understood. Plus, he didn't want to make her angry. She was scary when she was angry.

"Well, what do you want to do, now?" Sassi asked.

Loz hesitated. he knew what he wanted to ask, but wasn't sure how Sassi would feel about it. Deciding he'd never know unless he asked her-the worst she could do was say no-he blurted out his request.

"Will you... will you play for me? Your violin? It was pretty, when you played earlier. What was that, anyway?" He asked.

Sassi smiled. She had no problem playing for Loz. "Its called 'The Price of Freedom'. Its one of my favorites, Hari's too. I just felt like... it was appropriate for the situation, I guess." She climbed off of the bed, retrieved her violin, and returned to Loz's side.

She placed her violin beneath her chin and smiled softly at Loz. "This one is called 'Inside the Tam House'." And then she began to play.

The warm, longing sound of the violin seeped into Loz's bones and he sighed, resting his elbows on his crossed knees and his head in his hands. He watched the look on Sassi's face as she played her instrument. It was obviously something she loved, as her face portrayed a deep longing that matched the song she played. He watched her fingers move on the neck, and watched her arm move back and forth as she drew the bow across the strings.

He thought that she'd never looked more beautiful.

!@#$%^&*()

Kadaj and Harmony laughed as they stumbled over eachother to get inside the manor. It was late, going on midnight, if Harmony was right, and Colleen was standing at the door with an irritated look.

"Sorry!" Harmony said, tossing the old woman's keys to her. "I filled the tank! Thanks!"

Colleen shook her head and left the two lovers to their business. 'Kids these days.' She thought to herself.

Harmony was giggling so hard that she could barely walk, so Kadaj twirled her arond and hefted her onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and gripping the backs of her legs.

"Oh! I hate it when you do this!" Harmony complained, trying to stifle her giggles.

"Why?" Kadaj chuckled.

"It makes me sick! Like, nasty motion sick!"

"Well then, I'll just have to make this quick, don't you think?"

Harmony wasn't even given time to gasp her denial before Kadaj was zipping through the manor to their room. He slowed to a stop outside their door, letting Harmony slide from his back and chuckling when she punched his shoulder.

"I should puke on you." She muttered.

"I'd rather you didn't." Kadaj said, pulling her into their room and closing the door.

When the door closed, Harmony could physically feel the change in the air. She was still planning on going through with her plan... but now that the time had come, she was nervous. She knew he wouldn't turn her away... would he?

"What's wrong?" Kadaj asked, seeing the look on her face. She looked terrified.

Harmony shook her head, trying to dislodge her fears. "Its nothing." She said. "I just... I had something planned for tonight... but I don't know if you'll..."

Kadaj frowned and pulled her into his arms, backing her toward the bed. When they reached it, he forced her to sit down. 

"Why don't you get dressed for bed, and we'll talk about it? I just want to take a quick shower." He said. Harmony nodded, glad that he was giving her a moment to gather her courage.

"Okay." She said softly. She watched him disappear into the bathroom, and hurried to change for bed. She tore her clothes off and threw them in the general direction of the laundry basket, not really caring if they made it. After searching frantically through her nightclothes and cursing herself for not having anything sexy, she finally settled on a simple sleeveless cotton gown. It was short, showing nearly all of her lengthy legs, and had a modest, yet form fitting shape. 'Oh well.' She thought to herself, 'This will have to do.'

With that thought, she crawled onto the bed, trying various poses before finally deciding that she just felt stupid. She ended up sitting crosslegged in the center of the bed, waiting for Kadaj to come out of the bathroom.

Her jaw hit the floor when he did. 

Hugging the Remnant's alabaster skin, was his black leather suit. The one he wore the first time she met him. Standing there with his silver hair, glowing eyes, and black leather, she felt as though she'd been tossed back in time, and her fears vanished. She knew exactly what to say.

"Can I help you?" She asked, feigning irritation.

Kadaj smirked, knowing her game. "Oh yes, yes you can." He took a step toward her, letting out a chuckle when she mock-gasped and scrambled backwards on the bed. "You're coming with me."

He didn't give her time to reply, instead launching himself at her and covering her with his body. Harmony screamed with laughter while trying to feign terror. She gave up her game, asking the question that had first popped into her mind.

"Why are you wearing that?"

Kadaj shrugged. "I saw it in the closet earlier, and I wanted to see how it felt to wear it again. I'm going to wear it when we go back - I had to make sure it still fit right."

Harmony nodded. Inside, she was glad that he'd put it on. She had to admit that she'd often thought about what it might be like to unbuckle and peel the suit from him.

Then the thought struck her that this might be her only chance to do so. She might never see him again, after tomorrow. She sobered quickly enough that it had Kadaj worried.

"What is it?" He asked. "Is it this? Do you want me to take it off?"

Harmony shook her head. "No its... I know that I said that it would be okay... But I'm so scared that this might be the last night I ever spend with you."

She took a deep breath, centering herself and preparing to say what she'd been planning to say all night.

"I want you, Kadaj." She whispered. Kadaj just stared at her, and she decided to clarify. "I want all of you. If this is to be our last night together, I want to give you all of me."

He continued staring, silent. He was too shocked to answer. It was something he'd hoped to hear from her, of course, but he wondered if it was still too soon. If she was only doing this because the thought she had to.

“You don’t have to do this.” Kadaj stated softly. “I don’t want to hurt you…and when this is over... we might never see eachother again…”

“That’s exactly why I DO have to do this. You were right before. I don’t want you to go away and know for the rest of my life that I never got to do this with you the way we wanted it to be, all because I wasted so much time being afraid. I‘m not afraid anymore, Kadaj…”

Kadaj appeared to be lost in thought for a moment. Fearing that he might back out and leave her there, Harmony lunged up at him, catching him off guard. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held onto him with an iron grip, tangling her fingers in his silver hair and forcing him closer to her.

“Don’t think… please… just give me this… I might never see you again after tomorrow. I want to have tonight to remember for the rest of my life… please… please Kadaj… just give me this…” She sounded very near to tears as she rubbed her cheek against his, yanking on his hair and pulling him closer still.

“Harmony…” Kadaj whispered. He ran his hand across her cheek and through her hair, finally allowing it to venture to her jaw line and forcing her to turn her head.

“I have never felt so torn in my life… never! I knew what my life was about! I had my mission as a Remnant! Even after we came here, I knew what I needed to do! I wasn’t supposed to feel this way! I’m supposed to want to go home, not leave everything… my life… my mission… my WORLD… just to stay with you in a place that I don’t belong!” He said in a broken, ragged whisper, almost a sob against the corner of her mouth.

She was crying by the time he finished, clinging to his shoulders and trembling with her attempt to remain composed. She pulled her jaw from his grasp and buried her face in his neck. “I’m sorry! I know that this shouldn’t have happened… I tried to stop it… and I know that I’m making it harder for both of us now… I… I just wanted my own memory of you… something to cherish… Something not shadowed by fear, and doubt... I’m sorry…” She untangled their limbs and tried to push him off of her. He wouldn’t budge, and she refused to look him in the eye. “Please, if you’ll let me up… I’ll go and leave you alone. I should probably be studying the scroll for tomorrow, anyway…” She tried to push him off of her again. He still wouldn’t move, and this time she dared a look up at him.

He was staring down at her with an intense, yet melancholy look on his face. He slowly wrapped his hands around her delicate wrists, giving her time to pull away. When she didn’t, he tightened his grip and pulled her hands up level with her head and pinned her wrists down.

“Kadaj?” She asked.

“I will never, ever deny you something to cherish. If you want this, if you want me, I’ll give you your memory…” He leaned down and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth, deliberately avoiding her lips as he mouthed his way to her ear where he whispered again, “I’ll make several memories for you to cherish… If you want me to, I’ll make it so you never, ever forget me… because Leviathan knows I’ll never forget you…”

She sobbed against his skin as he nipped at her earlobe and released one of her wrists, placing his hand at the back of her neck and pulling her toward him as he laved his attentions on her ear and the side of her neck.

“Kadaj…” she whimpered, “Yes, that’s what I want…” she thrust her hips upwards, the cotton nightgown she wore riding up slightly when she made contact with his body. “Kiss me… please!” she said.

“Anything you want…” With that he let go of her other wrist, wrapping both hands around the back of her neck and sealing their mouths together in a kiss that made both of their heads spin. Harmony traced her hands up his muscular arms and gripped his biceps tightly, moaning into his mouth.

Kadaj pulled away all too soon, sitting up on his heels. He stared down at her as he unzipped the vest covering his chest and then pulled the black leather from his body. He watched in fascination as her pupils dilated wildly at seeing his lithe form glistening with sweat in the soft light of the library. Her eyes held his as her smaller hands moved to unbutton the cotton night gown she wore, pulling it apart to reveal her pale skin to his hungry gaze. Kadaj growled and fell to her, attacking her ear once more.

“First memory.” he said before sliding down her body. He let his gaze take in her breasts, the nipples already hard and aching for his touch, and he obliged. One hand cupped her, kneading softly even as he lowered his mouth to the other peak. His tongue slipped out of his mouth, flicking the little bud once and leaving white-hot sparks tearing through her body.

“Yes!” she gasped. Her stomach muscles quivered and he felt his arousal stirring to life. Her hands fisted in his hair, torn between holding him against her, and pulling him back up to her lips.

He soon switched his attentions to her other breast and gave it the same treatment, sucking and nipping until she was shaking with desire. He abandoned her chest, kissing a path down her stomach to the waistband of her panties. He let his hands trail down her sides, catching her panties when they reached her hips and sliding them off of her body. He lay his head on her hip and inhaled deeply. 

“Sweet Shiva I love your scent. Its like…rich vanilla and lavender… but spicy, and smoky, too.” He moaned. He pushed her legs further apart and nudged at her folds with his nose.

“Oh! Kadaj!” Harmony gasped.

He grinned wickedly and ran his tongue up her opening, causing her to let out a choked cry and arch her back. He did it again and she sobbed. He then dove in full force, shoving his tongue high inside of her before retreating and prodding at the bundle of nerves just above. His mouth clamped over the bud and he suckled, shuddering and groaning in arousal at the high pitched keen that poured from Harmony’s lips.

He gently parted her folds, slipping one finger inside of her just enough to tease. She arched against him again, fingers clenching in his hair.

"Kadaj..." She murmured, rolling her hips. 

"Not yet." He said, pulling away and replacing his tongue with his fingers. "I want to watch you, first. I want to touch you. I want to make you come until you beg me to stop, and then I'll take you. If I never see you again, I want my own memories of you, too."

Harmony shuddered at his dark promise, and Kadaj's pupils dilated wildly at the small trickle of wetness that left her body.

"Do you like it when I talk to you? When I tell you what I want to do to you?" He rasped against her hip.

Harmony moaned. "Yes..." She admitted with a blush. Kadaj smiled. He'd love to keep talking, to make her so hot that she beged for release... but he had other plans for his mouth, and talking wasn't a part of it.

He gave a small growl of approval at her honesty, and drove his mouth to her again, flicking, slurping, nipping, and suckling.

Harmony was whimpering and crying out, little choked noises of painful pleasure as he teased her to the brink of ecstacy, and then denied her by backing off. He didn't want this happening too fast. Whether this was their last night together, or not, he intended to make it last all night.

He quickly realized, however, that if he were to do that, he'd better slow down. The sounds she was making were driving him mad, and he knew it would only be a matter of time before he lost his control and ravished her. He pulled away from her heat, smirking at her disappointed whine.

"Not. Yet." He said again. With that, he fell to her lips, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and laving his tongue across it. He then pulled away again, using his supernatural strength to flip her onto her stomach before she'd even registered that he'd moved.

"What are you-" She started. Her question was cut off with a loud sigh of pleasure as Kadaj leaned down and pressed his body to her back. She could feel the rough drag of the leather that still adorned his hips, and found the sensation to be more erotic than she'd thought. Kadaj planted wet, open-mouthed kisses across the back of her shoulders, moving lower and lower to cover every inch of her back. He trailed light kisses down her bottom, chuckling at her gasp when he gave a small nip and continued down her leg to her foot. She giggled when he kissed her toes, and then moaned when he bent her leg at the knee to kiss up the front of her shin, rolling over when he prodded. He continued his path up her body and she whined when he intentionally passed her center without even a wisp of hot breath falling on her over-heated flesh. Her stomach muscles clenched and writhed when he dipped his tongue into her belly-button, and then a musical keen filled his ears when he once again took a pebbled nipple into his mouth. He decided to stay where he was for the moment, suckling her breast softly until she pressed her hands to the back of his head, trying to get more suction. He gave into her demand, sucking once, roughly, before switching breasts.

Harmony had never been so aroused in her entire life. His mouth traced a path of fire across every inch of her skin as he planted searing kisses on her body. As he nipped and sucked at her breast, she felt his hand descending, brushing through soft curls to pet at the moist heat between her legs. She let out a shuddering gasp. "Kadaj..." She whimpered, rolling against him. She wrapped a leg around his waist, running the bottom of her foot against his leather-clad calf. As much as she loved the course, yet smooth texture of the leather, its presence began to annoy her. "Take the rest of it off..." she said, arching into his mouth when he sucked hard and then bit down on her nipple.

He pulled his mouth away from her with a loud 'Pop!' and smirked at her flushed face. Her chest was heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. He gave her the most lust-filled, smoldering look he could conjure, and pulled away from her completely, standing from the bed and bracing his legs apart.

"You do it." He said, grasping her hands and pulling her up to sit before him, her legs opening to encase his standing form between them.

Harmony nodded and slid her nightgown from her shoulders, and then reached forward, her fingers caressing the buckle at his waist. He watched her remove the buckles and slide the zippers, becoming harder with each passing milisecond. He could swear that if he were to stand against a solid diamond wall, he could break a hole in it.

Finally, Harmony had all of the buckles and zippers undone. She carefully but smoothly pushed the leather down his legs until he could step out of it. As she sat up, she caught sight of his erection, pulsing and dripping with his excitement. WIthout even a thought, she leaned in, wrapping her arms tightly around his hips and devouring as much of his length as she could.

Kadaj jerked and let out a loud, deep groan of satisfaction. Her silky lips pulled at him, teeth scraping lightly and tongue swirling in deliciously wicked patterns on the underside of his shaft. He knotted his fingers in her hair, giving in and bucking against her, crying out when his movement earned him a sharp cry of surprise, and a hard pull. His eyes rolled as his head fell back. He wanted this. He wanted to lose himself in her hot, wet mouth... but he couldn't. This was special, and he wanted to last. He had to make her stop, or neither of them would get what they really wanted.

"Stop." He said, his voice hoarse. "If you don't stop, I'm going to come right now. And that's not something that either of us wants." He grunted when Harmony let out a sound of consent that sent wicked vibrations up his spine, and released him.

She fixed him with a sultry gaze, falling onto her back and spreading her legs apart. She wanted this. She was ready for this. She'd been ready for this for a long time, she realized. She scooted further toward the edge of the bed, wrapping her legs around Kadaj's hips and attempting to pull him into her. He resisted.

"Not like that." He said. Harmony gave him a dark look. A look that screamed 'take me or I'm going to jump you and fuck you into the carpet'. He groaned and fell to her, pushing her up onto the bed until they could both stretch comfortably across it. "Like this." He murmured against her skin. "I want to hold you. I want to feel you. I want to look into your eyes and see what I'm doing to you."

Harmony shuddered and writhed, rolling her hips impatiently. Kadaj gave in. After all of the build-up, all of the foreplay... the months of kisses and touches that never went too far... this was it.

He put his hand behind her head, lifting her up so that he could plant a shaking kiss on her chin. "Are you ready?" He asked.

Harmony let out the breath she'd been holding. "Yes..." She whispered, "Please!" She reached down between their bodies, grasping his length and leading him to her. Kadaj shuddered when he felt the wet heat at his tip. Harmony removed her hands and wrapped them around his waist, palms flat on his back as she pulled him down to her.

He grit his teeth, preparing for the silky, burning heat he remembered from the one time that they had gone too far, and then he pushed.

Harmony let out a choked moan as he slid inside her, the sound joining with his hiss of pleasure. Kadaj had meant to go slowly, to give her time to adjust, to make it last as long as he could, until neither of them could even move, but he just couldn't do it. At the first shudder of her insides around him, his control snapped, as did his hips.

His breath fell over her face as he panted, rocking into her. He dove in to kiss her, his tongue wrapping around hers and drinking of her as though he was dying of thirst, and she was the oasis in the desert. But her kiss only made him hotter, she was the mirage, sent to destroy him, to break his will and leave him burning in the harsh rays of her blistering sunlight.

Harmony let out a squeal of surprise when he sat up, bringing her with him to straddle his bent knees. He held her upright, his arms wrapped around her and his hips pounding back and forth.

"I love you." He said when he caught her gaze. "I don't want you to stay here. You have to come with us!" He punctuated his words with a hard stab inside of her, the movement making her jump in nearly painful pleasure.

He didn't give her time to reply, instead rolling onto his back without even dislodging himself from her. He sat propped against the pillows at the headboard, his hands on her hips encouraging her to move on him.

From this position, he was able to strike so deeply inside of her that it actually hurt... in such a wonderful way. Harmony leaned back, undulating, her hands falling behind her to grip his thighs as she rocked atop him. Her head fell back, the tips of her hair tickling Kadaj's thighs as he leaned forward and took a bruised, straining nipple into his mouth.

She screamed, her insides squeezing him so tightly that it almost hurt. He was not expecting her to come, yet... He smirked and switched to the other nipple, biting down gently as his hand dove between them to flick and pinch her clit.

The pain from being slammed back into the headboard made his head spin. Harmony was rocking wildly, a fierce look in her eyes as she slammed herself down on him. The look in her eyes did him in. He snarled and threw her off of him, listening to her cry of shock as she bounced on the bed before he fell to her. Hooking one leg in the crook of his arm, and the other over his hip, he aligned himself, and thrust back inside her, pounding as hard as he knew she could take.

Smug, male pride washed through him when her hoarse voice attempted to scream again. He could feel the tingling starting at the base of his spine, feel the pulsing in his length as she squeezed him in her warmth. He let out a long moan, almost a whine and fell to her, lips latching onto her throat and sucking a vivid, purple bruise onto her skin.

"Kadaj!" Harmony keened. "I'm so close... please!" 

He moaned again and sat up, angling his hips to hit the spot inside her that would throw her over the edge. He knew he hit it when her back bowed off of the bed and her fingernails scored his back. Her insides fluttered madly around him, the heat in his belly exploding. He rushed to pull out of her, only to let out a scream of almost-pain-maybe-pleasure when Harmony gripped his hips and slammed him back inside.

"No!" She panted. "Stay. Stay."

Kadaj let out a sib of pleasure and released, his hips jerking out-of-rythym and his hands grasping at every part of her that he could reach.

The storm was slow to pass, both lovers lay panting, the Remnant too tired to even pull out of his lover and roll away so that he didn't crush her.

It was only long minutes later, that he though to ask if Harmony was okay. He rolled away and pulled her into his arms.

"Are you alright?" He asked, sleepily.

No answer. He opened his eyes to look at her. "Hari? Are you..." He smiled softly at the sight he found.

His love had fallen asleep with a smile on her face.


	50. Winner's Choice

Chapter 50

A loud scream had Loz bolting upright, the warmth from Sassi's sleeping body leaving him and allowing the cold to seep in. He listened closely, waiting for it to happen again. Before the next scream had even ended, he was out of the bed and racing to put his clothes on.

"What is it?" Sassi said groggily.

"Someone's screaming. I think it's coming from Harmony and Kadaj's room!" He was out the door before Sassi could even think to stop him.

As he rushed in the direction of Harmony's bedroom, he was grabbed and roughly yanked to the side.

"Ow! What the- Sephiroth? What's going on?" Loz asked upon seeing the tall man,

"I don't know. Though I think we should think this through, and not go rushing in like madmen." The General whispered. "Do you think its possible that Jenova somehow still has control of Kadaj? Come back here!" He hissed when Loz jumped and tried to race to Harmony's bedroom when he heard her scream again. "I know it sounds harsh, but if she's screaming, she's still alive! You stay here, I'm going to try to sneak in and see what's going on. Don't come in until I say!"

Loz nodded, confused, but he could agree with Sephiroth. Jenova had proven time and time again that she would not accept death. What reason did they really have to think that she was gone for good?

He sat in silence, axiously awaiting Sephiroth's signal, and starting in surprise when the General came rushing back down the hall, racing right past him without even a glance and muttering about his 'tainted eyes'.

Curious and still slightly concerned, Loz crept down the hall. Carefully and sliently he opened the door just enough that he could see inside.

And blushed. There in the moonlight, the only thing his eyes seemed capable of focusing on was his brother's naked rear, thrusting with wild abandon into the very obviously appreciative Harmony.

He blanched and hurried to close the door, torn between tearing his own eyeballs out of his skull, and not wanting to alert his brother to his presence, lest Kadaj do it for him.

Blushing darkly, he hurried to the bathroom. It sounded like Sephiroth was in there, and Loz may need to stop the SOLDIER from pouring bleach into his eyes.

!@#$%^&*()

Sassi's mouth was twisted in a slight grimace. She hadn't even had time to stop Loz before he left the room. 'He's in for quite a shock.' She thought to herself. It was obvious, what was going on. Then she saw what looked like Sephiroth's long hair swish past the doorway, the tall man muttering to himself.

"My eyes. My eyes are tainted. I will never get that image out of my head!" He lamented.

Sassi's grimace was given more strength when another loud moan was heard, this one most definitely male. Against her wishes her body began to respond, the pregnancy hormones deciding for the redhead that now was a very good time for an orgasm.

And then, a sudden though struck her. She wouldn't necessarily be doing this to her friends voice. She'd be doing this to convince Loz to help her out... The fact that he really wouldn't need convincing was beside the point.

Sudden'y glad that she'd fallen asleep in only a thin tank top and panties, she let her hands trail down her body, giving a shudder of anticipation as she waited for her Big Chief to open the door.

!@#$%^&*()

Loz had spent nearly a half-hour in the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the bathtub with his hands over his ears until Harmony's cries had calmed and stopped completely. He let out a sigh of relief and stood, heading back for the bedroom he shared with Sassi.

In the pre-dawn hours Loz padded back to his room in his when an unfamiliar sound wave whispered by. He shook it off as the last dregs of Kadaj and Harmony's encounter. A few more shuffling steps and the sound wafted by again. He thought he recognized it now. 

'Funny,' he thought, 'I didn't think Sassi had been hurt yesterday.' He mentally shrugged then paused with his hand on the doorknob. A spark of that insistent noise snuck into his eardrum once more. It was coming from the other side of the door. Was Sassi hurt? Did he crush her sometime in the night? Still mindful of the sleeping bodies in the dwelling-or the ones on high alert from Harmony's screaming-he ghosted into the room rustling the pages of Sassi's massive book by the door. He halted at the sight before him. Across the room, Sassi was indeed producing a high keening. Her movements were foreign to his somewhat-virginal eyes. Her left palm kneaded her breast through the tank top she slept in. her right hand, though, captivated the Remnant's gaze. It seemed to be methodically moving underneath her panties. Her mouth parted slightly as her body began to tense. 

Loz broke out of his stupor, realization arousing his interest. He wanted to help her reach climax. Swiftly, he flashed to the bed and captured Sassi's mouth with his own. He could feel her moan cascade down his throat. Sassi was nearing completion when he nudged her panty line aside and probed her slickness, replacing her fingers with himself. Sassi clutched at his buttocks, her nails nearly breaking skin. Slowly pushing deeper, forcing past her clenching muscles, he succeeded in burying himself to the base. When he began to pull back Sassi whimpered and shoved with her hands on his behind to bring him back in. Loz made a quick rhythm, barely moving but each thrust touched Sassi's womb. The constriction became intense and he felt the heat build up. Sassi's nails trailed up his back and her hands clutched at his neck and hair. Loz slammed upward and they both felt the wave ripple through them. 

Sassi melted into the mattress, too weak to move. Loz flopped on his side, reached out an arm to gather her in. Sassi molded herself to him and they began to dream as first light kissed the ground. 

!@#$%^&*()

"I told you not to go, Seph. I can't believe you couldn't figure it out!" Angeal chuckled.

"Shut up. I will never get that image out of my head." The Dread General shuddered minutely and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memory of Kadaj's pale buttocks thrusting back and forth. "I don't care how natural it is, I didn't need to see it."

He glanced to his left as Harmony and Kadaj made their appearance in the kitchen, Harmony wincing as she sat.

And then the morning went to Hell.

"So, Kadaj," Reno asked conversationally, "Did you vanquish the Banshee that was in your room last night?"

Harmony gasped in mortification and hid her face in her hands.

Kadaj smirked. "Oh yeah. I vanquished her real good."

"Shut up!" Harmony squealed. She picked up Yuffie's steak knife and flung it at Reno.

Reno only smiled and leaned back, avoiding the projectile. Zack, however, had his back turned.

"Ah! Sonofamotherfuckingholyknightsoftheround!" Zack hissed as the steak knife imbedded itself in his rear.

Harmony paled when he turned around and focused on her. "When we get to our world, you are going down! No more Mr. Nice Guy!"

"I'm sorry!" She cried, flinching when Angeal rolled his eyes and reached over, yanking the knife from Zack's left cheek.

"AH-OHmygodyou'regonnabe!" 

"What a baby." Yuffie said. "Butch up, girlie-pants, and take it like a woman!"

Cid laughed obnoxiously. "Hari already did that, last night!"

Harmony screeched, and once again the sound of a steak knife hurtling through the air was heard.

!@#$%^&*()

"What are you doing?" Sassi asked Harmony. The dark haired witch was currently sitting at Sassi's desk in the library, tears threatening to fall from watering eyes.

"I'm writing a letter. I was going to ask you to give it to Kadaj if..." Sassi cut her off, nodding.

"I know what you mean. I was just bringing one to you, to tell you to give it to Loz." The redhead said, holding out a cream colored envelope.

Harmony gave a sad smile. Turning back to her task, she quickly finished the letter, making sure to include a picture of herself and Kadaj together-that she hadn't known was even taken until earlier that very morning-in the envelope. 

The women exchanged letters, each letting out shuddering breaths. Neither had been very truthful with their lovers. They hadn't been worried too mich about the portal not letting them through. If they were sent to take them back, the portal would have no reason to deny them entrance to Gaia.

"I hope he doesn't hate me, if I stay." Sassi whispered. 

"Loz could never hate you, Sassi. He doesn't know how to hate. The things he did before, that was all he knew. And it was never out of hate, he's a follower. He was following his brothers."

"You make it sound like Kadaj and Yazoo-"

"Its me that should be worried." Harmony interrupted. "Kadaj will be so angry... I know that he would never hurt you because of it, if I end up staying... but when I do go through the portal... what will he say?"

Sassi gave Harmony a small smile. Laying her hand on her shoulder, she forced the woman to look up at her. "He'll say that he loves you."

!@#$%^&*()

"Are you ready for this?" JoDee asked with tears in her eyes. None of them knew yet, if Sassi and Harmony had made a decision.

"As ready as we can be." Sassi answered. "Everyone! Stand in the center of the circle!"

The group of excited travelers quickly huddled together in the center of the massive stones surrounding them. They could feel the crackle and pull of the energy, the promise of home.

"Okay," Harmony called, "When the portal opens, it will suck you all inside. According to the scrolls, you may wake up in different parts of your world, so if you don't want to be seperated, you'd better hold onto one another, okay? As soon as we're sure the portal is complete, Sassi and I will leave our positions and jump in."

As soon as she was finished, she ran to Kadaj, noticing Sassi do the same for Loz, and threw her arms around him. In front of the whole group, she smashed her lips to his, kissing him with every ounce of life and breath inside of her. Too soon, she pulled away. 

"Just in case." She whispered upon receiving his questioning gaze.

She returned to her position, followed shortly by Sassi. "Get ready." She called.

The incomplete coven spread out, forming a perfect circle around the group of travelers. Lifting their arms, they began to chant, the flames from the lit candles bursting to life, creating a breathtaking barrier of heat and light as their voices echoed off of the stones.

"Life in two, merge, combine. Allow a cross, energy to entwine. Where once was closed, shall now unwind. Earth and Gaia, a path we bind. Life in two, merge, combine. Allow a cross, energy to entwine. Where once was closed, shall now unwind. Earth and Gaia, a path we bind. Life in two, merge, combine. Allow a cross, energy to entwine. Where once was closed, shall now unwind. Earth and Gaia, a path we bind." They chanted over and over again.

The air around them began to swirl, a rushing vortex spinning into existence around the group in the center of the circle. Every person could feel the energy from the ley lines beneath them as it began to swell, bursting from the ground in a raging hurricane of reds, blues, greens, and yellows. Feeling himself become lightheaded, Kadaj attempted to take a step toward Harmony, wanting her beside him when they stepped through the portal. He let out a cry of concern when he discovered that he couldn't move, the howling winds pulling him inside the portal with unbelievable force. Turning his head, he was shocked to see white trees hazing into sight behind them. The Forgotten City. The portal was complete.

"Harmony! Sassi! Come on!" He cried.

The two witches looked at eachother, floods of crystaline tears streaming down their faces. They left their places and walked to eachother, standing face to face and only inches apart.

"Ready?" One asked the other. Her friend nodded, and their hands flew through the motions of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

"I win." The witch said to her cousin. The other girl let out a sob, pulling her in and hugging her close. 

"I love you. I'm sorry." And with that, the victor found herself flying backwards, her cousin having shoved her with all of her might. The power of the portal gripped her struggling form as she fought to free herself from its hurricane like grasp. She sent an angry, confused, terrified, and utterly grateful look to her friend. 

"I'll miss you. Take care of him." Her cousin mouthed. 

She nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I'll miss you, too, Sister." She whispered as the portal closed, white trees filling her vision just before her world went black.

~End~


End file.
